Building Post-Covid Supply Chains: Japan and the Americas

Keynote

• Teiji Hayashi, Assistant Minister, Latin American & Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Speakers

• Márcia Donner Abreu, Secretary for Bilateral Negotiations in Asia, the Pacific, and Russia, Brazilian Ministry of External Relations
• Julio Fiol, Ambassador of Chile to Japan
• Jerry Haar, Professor of International Business, Florida International University
• Rob Strayer, Executive Vice President for Policy, Information Technology Industry Council

In a Council of the Americas discussion on how to strengthen trade ties between Japan and Latin America through key industries, Teiji Hayashi gave Japan's view on the importance of a “free and open international order” as the basis for a stable supply chain. Ambassador Márcia Donner Abreu gave a presentation on the Brazil-Japan relationship and existing opportunities in the technology and agriculture sectors. Ambassador Julio Fiol listed regulations that would make Japanese participation in Latin American markets more robust. “Japanese business people are mainly concerned with a long-term relationship and Chile has benefited from that,” he said. 

Jerry Haar pointed out the time is right to further such ties, as credit availability and low interest rates will contribute to Latin America’s economic rebound. And Rob Strayer talked about the innovation happening in technology infrastructure supply chains and how new data privacy legislation could be a game changer for telecom networks if they collaborate with Japanese companies.

• Read the full minutes from the panel discussion.