Japan Trading Houses Knocking on Cuba’s Door Amid U.S. Opening
- Mitsubishi, Marubeni and Mitsui are opening offices in Havana
- Traders look to Cuba as business confidence in region drops
Cuba prepares for the visit of U.S. president Barack Obama in March 2016. Trading houses are eyeing Cuba as Japan’s confidence in the rest of Latin America wanes. Business confidence of Japanese companies in Latin America fell last year due to the drop in oil prices and a worsening political environment.
Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesJapan’s largest trading houses are positioning themselves in Cuba before any easing of U.S. sanctions, seeking opportunities in infrastructure, resources and automobiles as the Caribbean nation emerges from near-isolation.
Mitsubishi Corp., the nation’s largest trader, opened an office this month in Havana and is currently researching potential business deals, according to a spokesman. Mitsui & Co. will open an office as soon as September and is considering exporting Cuban nickel, according to a spokesman. Marubeni Corp. expects the removal of sanctions to unleash pent-up demand for cars and industrial machines, and the company also plans to open an office, it said earlier this year.