As part of a visit to Tokyo to participate in the International Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Conference “Facing the Challenges of LPG Trade Flows,” Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales held key meetings with representatives of Japan’s trade and maritime industry, reaffirming the commitment and reliability of the Panamanian interoceanic route.
During his trip to Japan, the Administrator met with Yasushi Noguchi, Director General of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), a meeting in which the Panamanian Ambassador to Japan, Walter Cohen, also participated. The meeting highlighted the efficiency and reliability of the Panama Canal over the last 25 years under Panamanian administration.
The Canal Administrator also held meetings with key players in the Japanese maritime and energy sector, including:
– Astomos Energy Corporation: president, Mitsuru Yamanaka, CEO and COO, Yoshihito Takahashi and general manager, Kei Sakaguchi.
– Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI): Director General of the Natural Resources and Fuels Department, Hajime Wakuda and Junko Hioki Director of the Fuel Distribution and Sales Bureau.
– NYK Line Shipping Company: general manager, Ryutaro Okuzawa; general manager of LNG Group, Masami Okubo and Koichi Hamazaki general manager of Tramper Group.
– Mitsui & Co.: CEO and COO of Energy Business Unit II Kenichiro Yamaguchi; general manager of the Global Gas Trading Division, Kyoji Hará and Kaoru Nanno, general manager of the Transportation and Operations Department.
Japan is the third-largest user of the Canal in terms of cargo volume, which reinforces the relevance of these meetings to strengthen cooperation and ensure the efficient flow of international trade. The Panamanian waterway is fundamental to global trade, serving 180 maritime routes that connect to 1,920 ports in 170 countries.
The Panama Canal reaffirms its commitment to operational excellence and collaboration with its international partners to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of world trade.
