Message from Ambassadors

Mexico: One of theworld’s most attractive
destinations for foreign
direct investments & Mexico Japan Relations

Carlos Almada
Ambassador of Mexico to Japan

H.E. Mr. Carlos Almada was appointed as Ambassador to Japan in March 2015. He was born in Mexico City. He
obtained a PhD at the University of Law, Economy and Social Sciences of Paris. He has held several positions at federal
and state levels among them Ambassador to Portugal from 1997-1999.

M

exico is one of the world’s most important
countries in almost all economic, trade,investment, tourism, area, demographic, cultural,
automotive and oil categories, among them:
Indicator
GDP (ppp)
GDP (nominal)

Values in 2014

Positionworldwide

2,150 billion dollars (bdd)

11

1,280 bdd

15

Exports

398 bdd

15

Imports

412 bdd

14

FDI received

22.8 bdd

13

Tourists received

29.1 million

10

Territorial Extension

1.964 million sq

13

Population

119.7 million

11

World Heritage Sites

33

6

Production of lightmotor vehicles

3.2 million

7

Exporter of lightmotor vehicles

2.6 million

4

2.3 million ofbarrels per day

13

Oil producer

For Mexico bilateral relations with Japan areamong the most important we have in the world.
This relationship is one of the oldest my country
has dating back over 400 years since the firstcontacts at the beginning of Edo Period in 1609.
Nowadays, relationship between Mexico and Japanis at its best moment in all fields, especially in thepolitic and economic ones. Mexican President,Enrique Peña Nieto, and Japanese Prime Minister,
2

2016.1

Shinzo Abe, began their tenures almost
simultaneously in December 2012 having met fivetimes during their first 18 months in office. BothHeads of Government already paid official visits tothe other country: President Peña Nieto visited
Japan in April 2013 (his first visit to Asia) while
Prime Minister Abe visited Mexico in July 2014(his first visit to Latin America). This is a clear
evidence of the importance both leaders give tobilateral relationship.

In the economic field, in 2014 our trade,investment and tourism relations registered
record levels. Last year, we had a bilateral trade of
21.9 billion dollars (Japan is our third tradepartner); we received 1.43 billion dollars ofJapanese direct investment; and more than 107,000
Japanese citizens visited Mexico and almost 30,500
Mexicans visited Japan.

メキシコ 特集

Our relationship has been boosted since the entry
into force of the bilateral Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA) in April 2005, which has provenitself to be a success story and mutually beneficial
for both Mexico and Japan. Since the signing of theAgreement, bilateral trade has grown 71%.

• size of internal market (around 120 million
inhabitants);

B• the 11 structural reforms enacted in the last threeyears; andut the real winner has been investments, bothfrom Mexico to Japan -since the entry into forceof the Agreement more Mexican companies haveestablished in Japan- and especially from Japan toMexico thanks to the complementarity of oureconomies; our countries combine their reciprocal
advantages to produce in Mexico for the global markets.
Japan is our third investment partner in the world andthe first from Asia. In the first 9 months of 2015
Japanese companies invested 930 million dollars inMexico which represents 4.3% of the 21.6 billion
dollars invested by foreign companies in the period.
Nowadays more than 930 Japanese companies haveinvestments in Mexico. Since the entry into force ofthe bilateral EPA Japanese companies have invested
19.6 billion dollars including energy projects. Mexico
has become the favorite destination of Japanese
investors among developing countries outside its
neighborhood. Almost every week it is announced atleast one new Japanese investment in Mexico.
Japanese companies have taken advantage of the manyfactors that make Mexico one of the 10 most attractive
worldwide destinations for foreign investments
according to important international organizations andconsulting companies. Among these factors are:• Its strategic geographical location (access to themost competitive markets, in particular to theUnited States);• close integration between North America countries;• extensive network of Free Trade Agreements (11Agreements with 46 countries). Mexico is one of
the most open economies in the world;• skilled and competitive manpower, technicians
and managers;• young population (average age: 27 years);• competitive operating costs;• legal certainty and full respect for intellectualproperty;• macroeconomic stability and fiscal responsibility
Additionally, Mexico and Japan are partners in theTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) whose negotiations
recently concluded. Once this Agreement enter
into force our bilateral relations will be fostered
even more by creating more opportunities forbusinessmen of both countries.
Nowadays, the automotive sector is the motor of ourbilateral economic relationship. Nevertheless, Mexico
wishes a greater diversification in its relations withJapan in order it to have several motors as solid as theautomotive one. In the short and medium term there
are two sectors with wide possibilities: the aerospaceindustry and energy, while in the long term weconsider that high value added and high-tech industries
like robotics, biotechnology and nanotechnology havethe potential to become new motors.

The presence of Japanese companies in Mexico ishighly encouraged not only due to its evident
economic component and the jobs they create but also
due to the learning of the Japanese labor culture andmanagement style, the transfer of technology and theiroutstanding contribution to improving living conditionsof the communities where they are established.
For this reason, it is a top priority for the Government
and Embassy of Mexico in Japan to attract more
Japanese investments. I consider we are on the righttrack although I must acknowledge that a great deal ofwork still remains to be done. We are working on it!
For further information please contact:
Fernando Escudero
Head of the Economic Section
Embassy of Mexico in Japanaescudero@sre.gob.mx
Tel: 03-3181-1131 – 5 Fax: 03-3581-4058

2016.13