BILATERAL COOPERATION DISCUSSED WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UPPER HOUSE OF THE NATIONAL DIET OF JAPAN
Updated 2014-07-15
Today, the Acting Prime Minister, Algirdas Butkevičius, has met with President of the Upper House of the National Diet of Japan, Masaaki Yamazaki, to discuss the bilateral relations between the countries, the potential for further cooperation in the fields of economy, science and culture.
“I am happy to note that the co-operation between our two countries is going very well, but there is still a great potential to be unleashed in the area of economy”, said Butkevičius, pointing out that the investment environment in Lithuania well suits the interests of the Japanese investors.“Lithuania is famous for its well-educated and skilled labour force and investment-conducive geographical location, linking sea, land and railway routes from East to West,” said the Head of Government, inviting Japanese businessmen to invest in engineering, electronics, biotechnology, clean technology and R&D.
According to the Prime Minister, signing of a double taxation avoidance agreement would substantially contribute to the development of economic relations between Lithuania and Japan. The President of the House of Councillors assured the Lithuanian Prime Minister that he was going to seek to settle the matter.
The Prime Minister also highlighted prospects for cooperation in the fields of research and innovations. “Cooperation among the Lithuanian and Japanese researchers has been gathering momentum. In June 2014, the Research Council of Lithuania and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) agreed to encourage the cooperation even to a greater extent”, said Prime Minister Butkevičius.
The Prime Minister has invited the President of the House of Councillors to attend the Life Sciences Baltics 2014, to be held on 10-12 September in Vilnius, and has informed the guest that the biggest Japanese style garden in the Eastern Europe is to be opened during the Bonsai Congress 2016 in Vilnius.
