00:00So speaking of a free and open international trading system, I'd like to
00:04talk about FDIs and how FDI will flow between the two countries moving
00:09forward. Traditionally there have been flows especially with regard to let's
00:14say E&E, automotives, but what new areas do you think can be expanded in the
00:22years moving forward? Before I left Tokyo for Malaysia, I was meeting with a
00:30number of Japanese business leaders and they have renewed interest in investing
00:37in Malaysia. Japanese firms have expressed a strong interest in
00:42investing in Malaysia, particularly in green technology, says Japanese ambassador
00:47designate Noriyuki Shikata. This includes so-called green
00:53transformation related investments, as I mentioned green hydrogen, biomass, CCUS
01:02among others. Shikata said the renewed interest is also driven by Malaysia's
01:07role as a data center hub in Asia. Malaysia is becoming a hub, Asian hub of
01:13data centers. There would be a number of new business opportunities, investment
01:20opportunities for Japanese companies to come up with sustainable investments
01:27toward the future for the better life of many Malaysian people. Separately,
01:33Shikata said he was pleasantly surprised by how Malaysian youth have embraced
01:37Japanese culture from food to music and anime. I'm struck by popularity of
01:46Japanese culture including Japanese food or J-pop or anime singers among others
01:55and this creates renewed opportunities for younger generations to be friends
02:03with each other between Japan and Malaysia. He said the admiration is
02:09mutual and envisions a shift from Malaysia's decades-old look east policy
02:13to more balanced and reciprocal partnership. There should be more Japanese
02:18young people who come to Malaysia, maybe including studying at Malaysian
02:25universities. So hopefully this look east policy would become
02:32kind of a mutually, you know, look each other policy and would create a new
02:39fruitful future for our people.
02:44Danish Roger Reza, FMT News.
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