site.btaJapan-Bulgaria Business Association Holds Fourth Annual Meeting at Ambassador’s Residence

The Japan-Bulgaria Business Association (JBBA) held its fourth annual meeting at the residence of Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria Hisashi Michigami on Friday. The diplomat hosted members of the bilateral business organisation, along with representatives of Bulgarian institutions and employer organisations.

Opening the meeting, Michigami said that bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Japan had developed significantly over the past two years, not only in business but also on the political level. The Ambassador also expressed gratitude for the cooperation in the field of culture, noting that cultural exchange helps foster mutual understanding between the two countries.

JBBA Executive Director Todor Kesimov described 2025 as a promising year for bilateral relations, highlighting the opportunity to present Bulgaria at Expo 2025 Osaka. "There are three key factors for success in business – location, location, location. There could hardly be a better place for our annual meeting than the Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria," Kesimov said, adding that beyond hospitality, "it’s about trust and cooperation".

Kesimov thanked Michigami for his consistent support in strengthening Bulgaria–Japan relations over the past two years and for being a genuine partner of JBBA.

A welcome address was also delivered by Vasil Todorov, Deputy Chair of the Managing Board of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). He emphasised the Chamber’s role in supporting bilateral chambers of commerce and associations in Bulgaria and underlined the BCCI’s close and longstanding ties with the Embassy of Japan in Sofia.

"There is great potential for developing and expanding bilateral and multilateral contacts with Japan, as the focus today is on competition and innovation," Todorov said.

Yasuhiro Kitajima, First Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Japan, briefed attendees on Japan’s current economic situation, highlighting exports and business investment as key drivers of GDP growth and capital market performance amid expectations of higher government spending. Kitajima also noted the strong rebound in tourism, with Japan recording a record influx of visitors in 2025, partly due to Expo 2025 in Osaka. Between January and August, 28.4 million tourists visited the country, he said.

The economic attaché also reviewed recent developments in business relations between Bulgaria and Japan. These include the signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two countries; Toshiba’s contract with the National Electricity Company (NEK) for the restoration of the Chaira pumped-storage hydro power plant; Meiji’s agreement with LB Bulgaricum to establish a research centre for probiotics, expected to begin operations in 2026; and a jointly organized business forum with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in June, with JETRO planning to open an office in Bulgaria. Other examples include the construction of a production base by Tri Wall in the Thracian Economic Zone and the strategic cooperation established between Kawasaki Motors and Dronamics.

Among the participants in the meeting was Boyko Takov, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME), which coordinated Bulgaria’s preparations for Expo 2025 as part of a designated working group.

Founded in 2021, the Japan-Bulgaria Business Association’s mission is to promote Japanese business in Bulgaria, support future Japanese investors establishing a presence in the country, and strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. The association has been an active participant in bilateral political and business meetings held this year.