Confidence among Japanese companies in Bulgaria continues to grow, Deputy Prime Minister said during meeting with Japan’s Ambassador
Bulgaria attaches strategic importance to its relations with Japan and will continue to build on the progress achieved to date. I am convinced that a genuine spirit of friendship exists between our two countries. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Alexander Poulev during a meeting with H.E. Chikahisa Sumi, Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria. During the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed the excellent bilateral relations between their countries and their shared ambition to deepen economic and investment cooperation.
“We are committed to building on all the commitments made during President Rumen Radev’s visit to Japan in 2025, and I would like to assure you that the priorities established at that time have been reaffirmed and are now being implemented at government level,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Poulev stressed that the objective is to further expand investment cooperation between Bulgaria and Japanese companies. “The partnership between LB Bulgaricum and Japan’s Meiji will, of course, remain an iconic and important element of our cooperation. However, we must be even more ambitious. We will broaden our partnership in the fields of innovation, technology transfer, industrial manufacturing and high technologies,” Poulev emphasised.
For his part, H.E. Chikahisa Sumi, Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, underlined that the confidence of Japanese companies in Bulgaria continues to grow. He announced that an existing Japanese investment project in Bulgaria is being expanded through a new investment worth EUR 6 million, describing this as a clear indication of the Japanese business community’s long-term commitment to the country.
According to the Ambassador, Bulgaria has exceptionally strong engineering talent and highly qualified software development specialists, making it a highly attractive destination for Japanese investment, particularly in the technology sector. He added that, thanks to its skilled workforce, technological expertise and strategic location in the region, Bulgaria has the potential to serve as a platform for international companies expanding into European markets.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation on key infrastructure projects related to transport and energy infrastructure.
Deputy Prime Minister Poulev presented the Bulgarian Government’s vision for establishing Bulgaria as a regional energy hub and expressed the country’s readiness to work closely with Japanese partners in the fields of energy, innovation, artificial intelligence, information technologies and high-tech industries.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining an active political and economic dialogue and to encouraging new Japanese investment in Bulgaria through closer cooperation between public institutions, businesses and industry.
The Minister also presented the Government’s reforms aimed at improving the investment environment. “We want to send a clear message to investors: promoting investment is one of the Government’s key priorities. We have established a single point of contact to ensure a professional and effective dialogue with our strategic partners,” he said. Poulev also highlighted the establishment of the Central Coordination Unit for Strategic Investments. “We want businesses to focus on creating value rather than being burdened by administrative procedures. Through this coordination unit, we will provide all the administrative support investors require, so they no longer have to spend time dealing with multiple institutions and ministries. That responsibility now rests with us,” he explained.