(Yicai Global) March 7 -- Japan's trade and investment promotion agency Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO, will encourage and help Japanese enterprises to participate in the first China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai this November in order to reverse a downward trend in Japanese exports to China.

Jetro hosted an event to promote the International Import Expo in Tokyo, during which China and Japan signed a cooperation agreement. More than 200 representatives from Japan's economic and business circles attended the event.

Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp., Japan's 90-year-old machine tools manufacturer, has confirmed that it will set up a 500-square-meter booth in the intelligent and high-end equipment exhibition area at the Import Expo to display its sophisticated industrial robots and other products. Toyota is also expected to confirm its exhibition area and product details soon.

China is Japan's largest trading partner accounting for one fifth of its total trade volume. However, Japan's exports to China showed a slight, but gradual decline after reaching its peak in 2011, said Oguri Michiaki, chief representative of Jetro in Shanghai, in an interview. Under such circumstances, Japan hopes that the Import Expo can be an important opportunity to reverse the downward trend in its exports to China.

Michiaki referred to Japan's culture of "craftsmanship" and "hospitality," which he said is highly acclaimed by Chinese people and attracted many to visit Japan, as another way of promoting trade ties between the two countries.

A total of 7.36 million Chinese citizens visited Japan last year, he revealed. However, many products and services embodying craftsmanship and hospitality in Japan still are not well known to Chinese consumers, he added. Jetro hopes to bring more local products to Chinese consumers through the Import Expo.