Colombia seeks Japanese investment from Toyota and Mazda

The Colombian government is implementing a commercial strategy to strengthen economic ties with Japan and attract foreign investment. Following a visit to Japan by Commerce Minister Mauricio Gómez Amín, President Abelardo de la Espriella announced efforts to revitalize bilateral relations and reactivate negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement that had been stalled for approximately 15 years.

A primary focus of this initiative is the automotive sector. The administration is specifically targeting Japanese companies such as Toyota and Mazda. The government aims to encourage Mazda to resume vehicle assembly in Colombia—having closed its local plant in 2014—and is seeking Toyota's interest in electric vehicle projects.

In addition to the automotive industry, meetings in Tokyo with companies like Toshiba have explored investment opportunities in manufacturing, electric mobility, energy, digital infrastructure, innovation, and technology. The strategy seeks to facilitate technology transfer and open new markets for Colombian agro-industry products.