The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry started a five-day exhibition Monday of specialty goods from 23 least developed countries as part of Japan's "one village one product" initiative to help poor nations make their local products globally competitive.
More than 70 items from the nations are on display at METI during the event, which follows the Mekong Exhibition held last week in Tokyo that showcased products from five Southeast Asian countries.
"I hope you will be able to determine the taste and preferences of Japanese people and what sells to them," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai told representatives of the countries at the event's opening ceremony.
The products on show in the lobby of METI headquarters include Bangladeshi teacups, Nepalese coffee and organic tea, Afghan carpets, pictures from Haiti, wooden Buddha statues from Cambodia, Congo handicrafts and accessories, Ethiopian spices, salt from Djibouti and lobster from Mauritania.
The "one village one product" initiative, which originated in Oita Prefecture in 1979, is part of the government's $10 billion aid package to expand the trade of developing economies.
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