President Ts.Elbegdorj State visit to Japan

From November 15 to 19, President Ts. Elbegdorj is paying a State visit to Japan. His visit in Tokyo City began when he met with Mongolians staying in Japan. Approximately 2,000 Mongolians study or work in Japan. In past years, the number of Mongolians who conduct research at institutions and universities has increased.

Mongolia began to send research students in 1976 to Japan and currently there are more than 1,000 Mongolian students in Japan. Of them, 300 study under scholarships of the Government of Japan and 70 percent of them study at their own expense. They mostly study in the fields of technology, science, economy, and international relations and scientists do joint studies in the fields of archeology, paleontology and anthropology.

Mongolians who participated in the meeting asked President Elbegdorj questions and exchanged views and opinions on preserving and spreading Mongolian culture and traditions, guiding government attention to prepare professionals in mining, technology and biotechnological sectors, considering and accounting social insurance commissions paid by Mongolians in foreign countries the same as in Mongolia, employing people for civil services with honest competition, and providing possibilities for Mongolian citizens abroad to vote in Mongolia elections.

President Elbegdorj said, “Japan is a true friend who helped Mongolia in difficult times. We will not forget that in the challenging years following Mongolia’s transition to democracy and market economy, the Japanese people helped Mongolia with necessary items in energy, infrastructure, public transportation, and education sectors in the most needed time. After 20 years, we bring you our good news.

The Mongolian economy has selfsufficient capacity now. We are not going to ask help but Mongolia has become a mutually beneficial partner with Japan”. The President asked the Mongolians to devote whatever they learned in Japan to Mongolia and in turn, Mongolians expressed their full inspiration and willingness to dedicate what they learned to develop their motherland.

The same day, the authorities of Japan’s International Friendship Exchange Council hosted a lunch honoring the President and First Lady of Mongolia.

The council has members included business leaders and scholars from research institutes and universities. The council conducts activities to advertise foreign policy of the Government of Japan, increase participation of private sector in developing foreign policy, and assist in the implementation of foreign policy of Japan. The council has organized training and workshops to increase investment from Japan to Mongolia for past 20 years. The council has committees in charge of bilateral economic and cultural issues such as Japan-USA, Japan-Europe, Japan-Russia, and Japan-China. The committee in charge of Mongolia was established last year. The council’s board members briefed that the council sends special crews to countries or regions to conduct studies. They exchanged views on Mongolia-Japan economic cooperation.

That day, President Elbegdorj gave interview to Sankey Shimbun, Japan’s well-known daily newspaper.
On the second day of his visit to Japan, President Elbegdorj lectured on development and the environment at Tokyo University. Before the lecture, J. Hamada, President of the University said, “It is honor for our university to hear a lecture of this well-known person who is one of pioneers of Mongolia’s democracy. We hope that Mr. Elbegdorj’s visit will elevate bilateral relations and cooperation to a new level. A lecture by You is an extraordinary opportunity for our students and experts.”

After his lecture, the President said that that Tokyo University and its students have an important role to introduce nature-friendly development and new technology.

Experts and students asked many questions from the President about Mongolians’ contribution to combat global warming, mining extraction and its impact on environment, desertification, and nomadic animal husbandry as well as others.

On November 17, the President attended the Mongolia-Japan Business Forum, where he said, “We put criteria for foreign investors, such as use of nature-friendly technology, to be accountable, transparent and open in operation. We think that all these are completely fulfilled by Japanese investors. You are our trusted investors”.

Among those gathered were 50 representatives of the Mongolian business sphere and a number of useful reports were made by related officials from the Mongolian side.

B. Ganzorig, chief of the Foreign Investment Agency, introduced legal conditions of investment in Mongolia, A. Tamiraa, specialists of Geology Research Department at Minerals Authority, introduced Mongolia’s policy on exploiting rare earth elements while Ch. Ganbat, advisor to Road,Transport, Construction and Urban Development presented the project for Sainshand’s Industrial Park.

President Elbegdorj also met with Mr. Akihiro Ohata, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.
Mr. Ohata told good news to President Elbegdorj about a decision to officially launch the process to establish an Economic Partnership Agreement between Mongolia and Japan. “This is the gift from our government for your visit to Japan,” said Mr. Ohata.

The sides have been actively seeking feasibilities to establish economic partnership agreement since 2009 and working groups of the two sides have been set up, comprised of representatives from the government, private sectors and experts.

President Elbegdorj said “This agreement is the equivalent of a Free Trade Agreement and is not only going to coordinate trade issues, but also free flows of banking, finance and services and thus it will be vital for Mongolia.

He proposed to complete talks successfully and to sign the agreement in 2012 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Mongolia-Japan diplomatic relations.

During the APEC Summit which was recently held in Japan, talks on establishing Asia Pacific Free Trade Zone were discussed and this issue is at the center of global attention. At this time, Mongolia is going to establish an Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan – one of the major biggest countries in the region and this is an important result of the President’s visit to Japan.

The same day, President Elbegdorj met with Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of Nippon Foundation which contributes considerably to the friendship of Mongolia and Japan. The Nippon Foundation has been assisting education and health sectors of Mongolia. Family Pharmacy Project ‘Vansemberuu’ has been implemented in 17 soums of five aimags in Mongolia over the past 10 years and supplys rural families with necessary medicines. In places where the project is being implemented, calling for an ambulance was reduced by 20 percent according to statistics. Mr. Sasakawa noted that this has become a successful project in which other countries began to be interested.

The foundation also encourages improvement of the capacities of personnel and scientific works at Mongolia’s Academy of Management Development. The foundation organizes visits of young politicians to Japan to upgrade their political education and to strengthen bilateral relations and mutual trust.

President Elbegdorj expressed appreciation to Mr.Sasakawa and the Nippon Foundation for their efforts to expand and develop relations and cooperation between Mongolia and Japan, and proposed certain suggestions. Particularly, he requested Mr. Sasakawa give attention to cooperating in the vocational training sphere and training national skilled workers.

President’s visit continues

source: The Mongol Messenger newspaper