Israel Aims to Enhance Economic Ties with Japan

Jerusalem, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)--The Israeli government has released plans to strengthen economic ties with Japan, including a program to expand exports. Israel aims to boost Japan-bound exports by 50 pct to 1.1 billion dollars annually by 2020 through such measures as opening a trade office in the western Japan city of Osaka, according to the plans compiled ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the Middle Eastern nation scheduled for mid-January. The Israeli government also hopes to increase the number of visitors from Japan by 45 pct by 2017. Faced with boycotts of Israeli products in Europe in protest against its Palestine policy, the government sees Japan as a new, promising market, pundits pointed out. END