Construction specialists are now mounting frame houses made by Domostroyenie subsidiary of the Shklov Newsprint Mill in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa . This marks the beginning of the project to set up the Belarusian Neighborhood in Japan. It is intended to become a signature project of the Belarusian timber industry and the country as a whole in Japan, Belarusian Ambassador to Japan Ruslan Yesin said in an interview with BelTA.
A store of Belarusian flax linen has recently opened in Tokyo. It has already grown popular with locals and visitors of the Japanese capital. Will you, please, share other examples of successful cooperation between Belarusian and Japanese companies outside Tokyo.
One of the highlights in our bilateral trade was the recent delivery to Okinawa of frame house kits produced by Domostroyenie subsidiary of the Shklov Newsprint Mill. Two years ago, the Belarusian Embassy in Japan, in cooperation with the Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee and the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom, organized a visit of a group of Japanese businessmen to Domostroyenie, thus contributing to the successful launch of the new project.
High quality, environmental properties and competitive price of Belarusian timber products were the key factors that made Japanese business interested, though the distance between Shklov and Okinawa is great
Why Okinawa? After all, this is the southernmost part of Japan, known for frequent typhoons and very hot summers.
In June 2018, the embassy together with the Japan-Belarus Friendly Dialogue Association organized a working trip to Okinawa. Several meetings took place, including with the authorities of the city of Uruma. Local businessmen showed the site for a future recreational zone, where, in their opinion, Belarusian houses could fit in well.
It was then that the idea rose to set up the Belarusian Neighborhood in Okinawa, using our wooden houses.
I am happy that head of the Japan-Belarus Friendly Dialogue Association and ARTEC Corporation Masashige Tozaki has not only supported but implemented this pilot project. The mounting of the houses delivered to Japan will soon be completed.
You have mentioned the Belarusian Neighborhood. Will you tell our readers more about the project?
The idea is being implemented by the Japanese owner of these houses. An information campaign is in full swing. Interior design solutions are under development. It would be important for us to provide residents of Okinawa with an opportunity to learn about the Belarusian culture, to see, for example, our national towels and other arts and crafts, traditional household items, as well as photo materials depicting the main stages in the development of the Belarusian-Japanese relations in various sectors, including the activity of the inter-parliamentary friendship groups.
Moreover, the Belarusian Neighborhood could become a signature project of our woodworking industry in Japan, a venue for meetings between business circles, members of the Belarusian-Japanese business club, and culture workers of the two countries.
In your opinion, will this be a one-of-a-kind project, or do Belarusian manufacturers of wooden houses have more prospects in the Japanese market?
There's a first time for everything. Speaking from experience, any joint project might get further development. In case with this project, we have already got the ball rolling.
On the whole, the dynamics of supplies of Belarusian timber products to Japan is rather good. The total sum is around $1.5 million, and our shipments topped $400,000 in Q1 2020. It is important not to lose momentum, continue to search for new partners, new niches and export solutions – not only in Japan, but also in Australia and New Zealand.
In November 2020, Tokyo is set to host Japan Home and Building Show – the international expo on home building, construction materials, interior and exterior design. Such a business forum is a perfect chance to demonstrate Belarusian timber products to businesses from Japan and other countries of the region, also using the example of Okinawa.
I hope that our enterprises in association with the National Center for Marketing and Price Study and the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom will take advantage of the opportunity to get access to the promising Japanese market by taking part in this expo.
