Pakistan is interested in hiking exports of textile to Japan to reduce the trade deficit. Japan-Pakistan relations are embedded in business, aid, politics and security. Japan assigns high value to its bilateral relations with Pakistan since the nature of their cooperation is multidimensional. Japan has helped Pakistan with humanitarian assistance, social security and infrastructure development.
The Indus Highway that connects Peshawar to Karachi stretches across 1200 kms and is being carried out with the assistance of Japan. It will be completed in June 2018. Pakistan-Japan relations have their roots in the ancient civilization of Gandhara.
Since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the two countries have enjoyed cordial and friendly relations. Right now Japan focuses on small-scale socio-economic projects mostly run by NGOs in Pakistan. Japan would be better served by participating in big national mega-projects such as railways, roads, tunnels, ports, and shipping.
Soon after the San Francisco peace conference, Pakistan was one of the very few countries which opened their commercial office in Japan. In the 1980s, bilateral relations were further bolstered due to Pakistan’s role in securing the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan and the sea lanes security through which Japan receives the bulk of its oil.