Panamanian Ambassador Ritter Diaz said Tuesday he has high hopes for stronger bilateral trade with Japan, and that he plans to target the aviation and maritime shipping sectors in pursuing it.
"We are expanding the scope of our relationship with Japan on different levels," said Diaz during a courtesy visit to The Japan Times.
"Panama is a leader in the shipping registry . . . and Japan is the number one customer," said Diaz, who took up his post in November. He expressed hope that the expanded Panama Canal will lure more investment from Japan. Revenue from the canal accounts for almost 10 percent of Panama's gross domestic product.