Japan-Laos Relations

April 10, 2019

Basic Data

Diplomatic Relations:

  • Established in March 1955

Number of Residents:

  • Number of Japanese nationals residing in Laos: 863 (as of October 2017)
  • Number of Lao nationals residing in Japan: 2,785 (as of June 2018)

Trade with Japan (2017):

  • Exports: 16.8 billion yen (clothes, foodstuff, materials, chemical products)
  • Imports: 13.0 billion yen (steel manufacture, autos, machinery, textile goods)

Direct Investment from Japan:

  • 135 Japanese companies are operating in Laos (as of October 2017).

Japan's Economic Cooperation:

  • List of Exchange of Notes
  • Loans: 48.43 billion yen (Cumulative Total 2016)
  • Grants: 152.97 billion yen (Cumulative Total 2016)
  • Technical Cooperation: 73.08 billion yen (Cumulative Total 2016)

Cultural Grant (cumulative total fiscal 1975-2017)

  • 1.4 billion yen (Cultural Grant Aid)
  • 56 million yen (Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects)

VIP Visits

From Japan to Laos
Year Name
2010 His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino, Her Imperial Highness Princess Mako of Akishino
2012 His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Naruhito
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda
2013 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
2014 Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Norio Mitsuya
2015 Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kazuyuki Nakane (Twice)
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masakazu Hamachi
2016 Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida (Twice)
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
2017 Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyoshi ODAWARA
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Iwao HORII
2018 Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro KONO
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kazuyuki NAKANE
From Laos to Japan
Year Name
2012 Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong (Twice)
2013 Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong
President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou
2015 Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong (Twice)
President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou
2016 Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith
2017 Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith
2018 Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith (Twice)
2019 President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou
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