ALJ ‘keen to promote Saudi-Japan trade ties’

The new headquarters of Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) Trading Company in the heart of Tokyo aims at further strengthening commercial ties between Japan and Saudi Arabia by promoting trade exchange, said Mohammed Jameel, chairman of ALJ Group.
Addressing the opening ceremony, he said the new location would help encourage Japanese companies to enter into deals with ALJ Saudi Arabia in commercial, manufacturing and service sectors.
Jameel highlighted the huge developments that have taken place in the Kingdom during the reign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah covering all fields, especially economy.
“ALJ seeks to increase partnerships in trade, industry and economy between ALJ and other Saudi companies and Japanese firms,” the chairman said.
Top executives, diplomats, presidents and representatives of leading Japanese and Saudi companies, including Saudi Ambassador to Japan Abdul Aziz Turkistani, attended the ceremony.
ALJ Trading was established in 1996 in Tokyo. Its new headquarters is located in front of the Emperor’s Palace. There is a gallery that shows activities of the company around the world and its community initiatives. It also provides information about Saudi Arabia.
Yasumori Ihara, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), applauded the longstanding TMC-ALJ relations.
“Our ties with ALJ dates back to 1955, when Sheikh Abdul Latif Jameel, may God rest his soul in peace, exported four Land Cruisers to the Kingdom. At that time, TMC had not started its exports to world markets on a wide scale,” he said.
“We are proud of our relationship with Jameel family. With them, we have succeeded in building remarkable ties throughout the generations, and we intend to take our relationships to higher levels. We share the same goals, which are to exceed customer expectations and to serve them better,” Ihara said.
The vice president commended the great role being played by ALJ in the service of its customers by opening hundreds of service outlets in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.
“They are one of our best partners in the world,” he added.
Ihara said: “Your passion and dedication to customers have made Toyota and Lexus the most demanded brands. You have successfully increased sales and after sales services, and overcame all challenges. You truly deserve the successive certificates of recognition and awards you have received, including the Diamond Award, one of our most precious awards that only a few have won it.”

Presidents and representatives of Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Saudi Aramco, SABIC and other Saudi and Japanese companies attended the ceremony, during which Ambassador Turkistani praised ALJ for opening the new location in the heart of Tokyo.
He expected that the new location would help improve the economic and trade ties between the two countries.
The ambassador said: “The economic relations between the two countries date back to decades, supported by the vision of the two countries’ leadership. The visit of Crown Prince Salman to Tokyo last February and his meetings with the top officials in Japan have played a big role in boosting Saudi-Japanese relations. The opening of the new location of ALJ Trading Co. is one of the outcomes of this royal visit.”
Shigeki Enami, president of ALJ Trading, said Japan is the second trading partner of Saudi Arabia.
“The trade volume between the two countries exceeds SR212 billion and we are seeking through this new location to expand Saudi-Japanese business ties,” he said.
Saudi exports to Japan, mostly oil, are estimated at above SR135 billion.
PetroRabigh is one of the most important projects between the two countries.
“The new ALJ location symbolizes the mutual desire to leverage the role of the private sector and promote mutual investments,” the president said.
In addition, the two countries have signed several investment and technical agreements in areas such as water, electrical power, taxation and education.