ERIA Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and E : Jointly Organises the Brunei Halal Business Seminar in Tokyo

The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei Darussalam, organised the Brunei Halal Business Seminar 22 November 2016, in Tokyo, Japan. More than 50 people from the private sector participated in this event.

H.E. Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei Darussalam, delivered the opening address in which he explained how and why Japanese businesses should enter the halal market through Brunei. Moreover, he discussed how Brunei's business and investment environment will help ensure Japanese businesses' success in entering the globally emerging halal market. The Minister also emphasised the growing size of the global halal market (USD 2.4 trillion) and how the growth will strengthen the advantage of Brunei Halal certification, which has been known as the world's most rigorous and stringent set of halal certification standards.

Professor Hidetoshi Nishimura, President of ERIA, stated that halal practices for Moslems are similar to Buddhist practices for Japanese. In the spirit of Buddhism, when humans consume other creatures to sustain their life, they should develop a sense of awe and appreciation of all living things that they consume.