Greek cotton is very popular in Japan

The Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) and the Greek embassy in Tokyo announced that Greek cotton is the most important imported good in Japan while Greek carpets imports to the Asian country increased by 786 pct in 2012 in comparison with 2011.

Japan's new honorary consul in Thessaloniki, Charis Alexopoulos, in an event held to introduce him at one of the northern city's hotels, said that the exports value of Greek cotton in Japan in 2012 reached 14.4 million euros, an increase of 117 pct compared to the previous year.

In addition, total Greek exports to Japan, excluding oil products, increased by 43.8 pct while Japanese imports to Greece decreased by 59.7 pct. Among other Greek goods imported by Japan, Greek olive oil imports increased by 36.9 pct.

Alexopoulos said the 127 million people of Japan are high-income-level consumers and offer great entrepreneurial opportunities to Greek businesses.

"Besides our financial relations we also have something else in common with the Japanese: our ability to overcome problems and face challenges and hard times," Alexopoulos said and called the Japanese consulate in Thessaloniki "an islet of understanding and exploration of new development opportunities."

The event was also attended by Japanese Ambassador to Greece and Cyprus Masuo Nishibayashi and representatives of agencies and local authorities.

Source: ANMA -APE