PUTRAJAYA, June 23 — Japan has expressed its appreciation on Malaysia’ decision to relax export restrictions on masks, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi.

Nanta said Japan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Hiroshi Oka conveyed the message to him during his visit to the Ministry, here today adding that this was in response to Malaysia’s interim measures during the Covid-19 pandemic to curb export of masks, to ensure adequate domestic supply.

“Japan expressed their appreciation in Malaysia’s decision, so as to ensure that both Malaysia and Japan can continue to fight this pandemic together, for the mutual benefit of both countries,” he said in a statement issued in conjunction with the meeting.

According to Nanta, the discussions today were centred on strong standing bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan, covering topics in relation to trade and investment, wholesale and retail trade, competition policy, Intellectual Property (IP) and cooperation in other fields of mutual interest.

Both countries acknowledged that the Japan Malaysia Economic Partnership Agreement (JMEPA) had strengthened the continued cooperation in those fields and had assisted in increasing competitiveness of the domestic market, thus facilitating bilateral trade and investment, he said.

Nanta said both countries looked forward to continuing bilateral cooperation following the gradual ease on cross-border restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the aim of mutual long-term goals. — Bernama