Suntory Holdings Chairman: "Korea-Japan Cooperation Needed in Semiconductors, Emerging and Advanced Technologies"

Joint Meeting of the Martial Arts and Nichi Keizai Doyu-kai Subcommittees
Discussion on Advanced Technology Cooperation and Supply Chain Crisis Response Economic Issues

"Cooperation between Korea and Japan is necessary to respond to geopolitical variables such as strengthening semiconductor and key mineral supply chains and collaborating on emerging and advanced technology development."

This is a statement by Niinami Takeshi, Secretary-General of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, one of Japan's three major economic organizations, and Chairman of Suntory Holdings.

Korea International Trade Association and Japan Economic Friendship Association Hold Joint Meeting
[Photo by Korea International Trade Association]

Chairman Niinami Takeshi made these remarks on the 23rd at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, during a joint meeting on "Measures to Expand Korea-Japan Corporate Exchange" held by the Korea International Trade Association and six committees under the Japan Association of Corporate Executives.

The Japan Association of Corporate Executives is a non-profit corporation established in 1946 and is one of Japan's three major economic organizations alongside the Japan Business Federation and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It has 1,511 major Japanese companies as members and operates about 40 committees under its umbrella.

Among these, the six committees participating in the meeting were the Japan-Korea International Exchange Promotion Committee, Geopolitical Risk Committee, Global Sustainability Committee, Globalization Promotion Committee, Global South and Africa Committee, and ASEAN Committee.

On the Korean side, 10 representatives from major domestic companies and startups such as Korea International Trade Association’s part-time Vice Chairman Choi Myung-bae, Executive Director Kim Go-hyun, GS Retail, LS, NextOn, DeepX, Lytton Technology, and Road System attended.

Choi Myung-bae, Non-executive Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association and Chairman of Exicon Co., Ltd., is speaking on the 23rd.
[Photo by Korea International Trade Association]

In his opening remarks, Choi Myung-bae, part-time Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, emphasized, "With the Korea-Japan summit and the Korea-US-Japan summit, bilateral relations are rapidly advancing and entering a new phase. Amid escalating regional conflicts and external crises such as resource weaponization, strengthening cooperation through continuous exchanges between Korea and Japan is more important than ever."

On the Japanese side, nine representatives from major Japanese companies and leading innovative industries attended, including Niinami Takeshi, Secretary-General of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, Tamatsuka Kenichi, CEO of Japan Lotte Holdings, Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, BoA Securities, Seiko Epson, AlphaPurchas, and McKinsey Japan.

Tamatsuka Kenichi, CEO of Japan Lotte Holdings, expressed agreement on the need to build a private-sector consultative body, stating, "Along with the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, 'grassroots cooperation,' an economic cooperation led by businesspeople, should also be strengthened."

The Korea International Trade Association is promoting various activities to strengthen private-sector economic exchanges between Korea and Japan and to resolve trade difficulties between the two countries. In May, Chairman Koo Ja-yeol of the Korea International Trade Association discussed ways to strengthen private economic cooperation between Korea and Japan during meetings with Kakumoto Keiji, Secretary-General of the Kansai Economic Federation, and in July with Niinami Takeshi, Secretary-General of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.