May 18, 1998
Meeting today at Toompea with a delegation of representative Japanesebusinessmen, Prime Minister Siimann said that he sees notable potentialin Estonian-Japanese economic relations.
The Prime Minister introduced Estonian economy, the investment environment,and eurointegration to the businessmen visiting Estonia under the aegisof the Japanese economic organizations federation, Keidanren.
Siimann also gave a brief overview of privatization in Estonia and explainedthe plans for infrastructure privatization.
Delegation's head Hirotaro Higuchi said that Keidanren is a nonprofitorganization of 1000 companies based on private initiative and it representsall branches of the Japanese economy.
Higuchi said that Keidanren`s 15 member delegation is visiting Estoniain order to meet the leaders of Estonian economic and political life andto discuss possible cooperation.
Siimann said that he hopes the Japanese businessmen's visit will stimulatethe development of Estonian-Japanese economic relations. "We hope for Japaneseinvestments and seamless relations between our countries` businessmen,"he said.