What is JFTC?

About JFTC


Japan Foreign Trade Council, Inc. (JFTC) was founded in June 1947 as a core private-sector organization in the area of international trade with nationwide membership of private companies and organizations. Its direct antecedents comprised four trade promoting organizations which functioned in the early postwar years prior to the re-commencement of private trade. Following the dramatic changes in Japan's economic and trade environments which began in the 1970s, JFTC was reorganized in June 1986 to take the form of a trade-industry association with trading companies (Shoshas) and trading organizations as its core members.

The membership of JFTC is composed of regular members represented by Shoshas and trading organizations, and supporting members consisting of manufactures, financial institutions, shipping companies, and other companies and organizations with interest in international trade.

JFTC is involved in a wide range of activities with the objective of contributing to the prosperity of Japanese economy and the enhancement of international society through trade. Most importantly, JFTC functions to develop a consensus within the business community regarding various trade-related issues, and actively presents specific proposals to the government and related organizations for the solution of such problems. JFTC has been highly lauded in various quarters for its past achievements.

Amid the rapid progress of globalization, major changes are occurring, leading to rising expectations both in Japan and overseas towards Shoshas, which are promoting their business through global networks.

  In response to these high expectations and under our new banner of “Building the Future, Connecting the World,”JFTC aims to build a stable future and forge closer global links by helping Japan become a “new trading nation”based on the mutual exchange of people, goods, money and information with overseas countries. JFTC will continue to make positive proposals to contribute to the revitalization of the Japanese economy and to the sound development of the global economy by assisting Japan in reinventing itself as a “new trading nation”.