Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Thursday received Japan's Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nobuo Kishi, for talks on cooperation, and on that occasion it was said that Croatia was open to Japanese investors in different areas ranging from energy to tourism.
The trade between the two countries in 2012 rose 20% but investments were on the decline, according to Leko. Leko and Kishi, who was on an official visit, agreed that Croatia's membership in the European Union would facilitate the economic cooperation between Zagreb and Tokyo.
The Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister said that his country and the EU were negotiating agreements on economic partnership on strategic cooperation, which would help strengthen the cooperation between Japan and Croatia, too.
Kishi said that the Japanese economy had strengthened in 2013 with a positive impact on the European and global economy. He praised Croatia for a stabilising role and for promoting peace in southeastern Europe, reiterating that Japan also pursues an active pacifist policy in the Far East.
Kishi is also the secretary-general of the Friendship Group between Japan and Croatia in the Japanese parliament.
Croatia was the first destination of his official trip since he was named Japan's Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.