The visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to T&T, which starts today, gives both countries the opportunity to underscore and celebrate the long and close trading and diplomatic relationship between the two countries.Japan and T&T established diplomatic relations in May 1964, and the two countries have shared a close, cordial and mature friendship for more than 50 years.
For many years, the most visible aspect of T&T's relationship with Japan has been the presence of electronic goods and cars from the Asian country on the shelves and the roads of this country.It is appropriate, therefore, that the most recent expressions of interest by a Japanese company in T&T are the ongoing negotiations for the establishment of a US$850 million petrochemical complex in La Brea that would produce methanol and dimethyl ether (DME), which can be used as a diesel replacement and as a cooking gas.
One of the region's largest conglomerates, Massy Holdings Ltd, is a partner in that project, which aims to produce, by 2016, one million tonnes of methanol and 100,000 tonnes of DME per year–along with industrial and trading giant Mitsubishi Corporation, whose chairman is expected to be part of the visiting delegation.
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