TFL Japan managing director Yasuhisa Nakamura will help develop the Ethiopian leather industry as part of a new project.

The Industrial Promotion Project is a bilateral technical cooperation lasting until 2020 between the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Ministry of Trade in Ethiopia. The purpose of the project is the following:

  • To increase the export of leather products made with Ethiopia's Highland Sheep Leather through technical support e.g.regarding quality improvement and brand management
  • To identify new premium products for the export promotion through market research and promotional activities.

Nakamura was appointed in order to enhance the cross boarder collaboration between countries and to help to further develop the local tanning industry in an emerging market such as Ethiopia.

He will make the first visits to local tanneries in Ethiopia, which were selected by the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade, in March 2018.