site.btaDeputy Prime Minister Donchev: Japanese Business Is Returning to Bulgaria

The Japanese business is making a return to Bulgaria, which suggests that the cooperation between the two countries may enter a new phase. To this end, Bulgaria needs to reposition itself - not only as a country of yoghurt and rose oil, but also as a good environment for doing business,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev at a business breakfast organized by the Japan-Bulgaria Business Association (JBBA), in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria and the Executive Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (EAPME), which is taking place today at the Hilton Hotel in Sofia.

Good friendships have a history, they have a present and of course - they have a future. When commenting on the relations between Japan and Bulgaria, we should never forget that Japan was one of the countries that systematically helped Bulgaria during the darkest years of the transition, Donchev said.

He recalled that then Bulgarian society and the Bulgarian economy were experiencing a number of difficulties and Bulgaria will not forget the help provided - in the field of education, social sphere, culture, assistance for economic development, in terms of a number of key infrastructure projects.

"The 2025 exhibition in Osaka has been mentioned several times. Half a century ago, the economic relations between Bulgaria and Japan entered a new phase. They say that history never repeats itself, but I hope that after the exhibition this year, we will really open a new page and enter a new phase," Donchev said.

In his words, all the signs are there, and along with the excellent political relations and friendly feelings between people, Japanese business is returning to Bulgaria.

Donchev noted that he is extremely pleased that Bulgaria has the opportunity to work with the Japanese corporation Toshiba on the reconstruction of a key infrastructure site such as the Chaira Hydro Power Plant, adding that the site itself was actually built by the same company 35 years ago.

Donchev expressed confidence that the development of the relationship between the two countries is a natural process that "will move at a different pace in the future".

"When we talk about the exhibition in Osaka (World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, where Bulgaria will participate with its own pavilion - ed.), we expect no less than 25-28 million visitors from 150 different countries, which is a unique opportunity," Donchev said.

"Bulgaria is well-known in Japan for its yoghurt, its rose oil, its big and strong men - something we do not deny, but I argue that Bulgaria should be repositioned. Besides all this, Bulgaria should be known for its good environment for doing business, for our unique achievements in science, information technology, engineering, artificial intelligence, which will open new opportunities for development," Donchev said.

The deputy prime minister quoted a Japanese proverb whose message says: "What you do today, try to do it a little better tomorrow." 

"I suggest we follow this concept as well," Tomislav Donchev added.

The business breakfast was attended by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria Hisashi Michigami, Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh and Economy Minister Petar Dilov.