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Some 450 guests attended the spring reception in Tokyo, Japan, today (February 26) organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Tokyo) to celebrate the Year of the Ram.
Speaking to the guests, who came mainly from the Japanese political and business circles, academia and community groups, the Principal Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative (Tokyo), Ms Sally Wong, pointed out that Hong Kong and Japan have enjoyed a close bilateral relationship for many years.
"Japan has been one of our top three trading partners for decades. Hong Kong has been the largest market for Japan's food, agriculture and jewellery exports. Japanese firms now form the biggest group of overseas companies in Hong Kong," Ms Wong said.
On the tourism front, Ms Wong noted that, against the backdrop of fewer Japanese people travelling abroad, the number of Japanese tourists visiting Hong Kong actually increased in 2014.
"Japan is also a favourite destination for Hong Kong tourists. Last year, more than 900,000 Hong Kong visitors came to Japan, representing one in eight Hong Kong people visiting Japan in a single year. The figure is so high that Hong Kong has become Japan's fourth largest source of inbound tourism," she said.
Ms Wong also said that Hong Kong remains a safe, free and vibrant cosmopolitan city which welcomes businessmen and visitors from all over the world, including those from Japan.
The spring reception was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Tokyo), the Hong Kong-Japan Business Co-operation Committee and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Ends/Thursday, February 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:34
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