The Ambassador of Uzbekistan Mukhsinkhuja Abdurakhmonov met with the Chairman, President, CEO and Founder of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. Tadashi Yanai.

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. is a public Japanese multinational retail holding company. In addition to its primary subsidiary Uniqlo, it owns several other brands, including J Brand, Comptoir des Cotonniers, GU, Princesse Tam-Tam, and Theory. The company was founded as Ogōri Shōji Co., Ltd. in 1963 by Tadashi Yanai. In 1984, the company, which ran a menswear store in Ube, Yamaguchi, opened a new casual-wear store named Unique Clothing Warehouse in Hiroshima City; this was the forebear of Uniqlo. In September 1991, Ogori Shoji changed its name to Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

The head of Fast Retailing was thoroughly acquainted with the structural reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan, the conditions created for the liberalization of the foreign exchange market, as well as for doing business by foreign private companies.

Mr. Tadashi Yanai was also informed about the decision of the Cotton Campaign to end the global boycott of Uzbek cotton, as well as about the work carries out in recent years by the Government of Uzbekistan to end forced labor in the cotton industry and ensure the effectiveness of ongoing reforms. It was emphasized that the abolition of the cotton boycott will help attract internationally recognized brands to Uzbekistan and increase the production volumes of more than seven thousand companies in the industry with advanced equipment from leading manufacturers, as well as increase the volume of exports of domestic production by Uzbekistan companies.

The parties discussed issues of opening specialized stores under the company’s brands, manufacturing the company’s products at domestic enterprises, and enhancing cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan in the textile industry.

Mr. Tadashi Yanai welcomed the decision to cancel the boycott of Uzbek cotton and noted that he and his team would work on issues of bilateral cooperation between Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. and Uzbekistan companies.

The Chairman of Fast Retailing supported the proposal to present the products of Uzbekistan manufacturers for the divisions of Fast Retailing during the forthcoming visit to Tokyo.

UzA