JAPAN INTERESTED IN BUSINESS COOPERATION WITH CROATIA

ZAGREB, July 8 (Hina) - Japan and Croatia are interested in establishing business relations, but first the two countries have to get to know each other better, the president of the Japanese- Croatian business forum, Kenzo Harada, said in Zagreb on Monday. Harada is heading a Japanese business delegation on a visit to Croatia to assess with Croatian officials the possibilities of intensifying economic cooperation between the two countries. According to Japanese statistics, trade between Japan and Croatia amounts to USD 14 million a year, which is below one per cent of USD 1.5 billion worth of Japan's trade with Central and Eastern Europe. Harada said that the trade had been substantially reduced in the last few years. On Monday, the Japanese delegation met for talks with an adviser to the Croatian Prime Minister and coordinator for the liberated areas, Ivan Majdak. At a press conference, Harada and Majdak described trade between Japan and Croatia as insignificant. "Unfortunately, most people in Japan don't know about Croatia," Harada said, adding that the aim of his mission was also to get acquainted with Croatia and its economy. Asked about Japan's potential economic interests in Croatia, Harada said that it would be good to start with tourism and then continue with other branches of the economy. Harada stressed that Croatia occupied a key position as the gateway to Europe and that Japan would consider possibilities of using that position. Majdak said that Japan should be offered entry into free trade zones in Croatian sea ports. Speaking of the liberated areas, Majdak said that Croatia may propose to Japan to modernize big wood- and metal-processing and textile plants. (hina) vm 081933 MET jul 96