The Israel Diamond Institute, Ramat Gan, Israel, will be sending high-level diamantaires to Japan with the hopes of increasing the diamond trade between the countries. The officials are scheduled to visit Tokyo and Osaka from June 23 – July 1.

The Embassy of Israel in Tokyo, the Tokyo Diamond Exchange, and the Japanese Jewellers’ Association will host the trade mission under the leadership of Moshe Schnitzer, IDI chairman, and Shmuel Schnitzer, Israel Diamond Exchange president. The following diamond companies will be participating: EFD, Dalumi, Rachminov, Lili Diamonds, M. Schnitzer & Co., Eyal Badichi, Kishut, LID, Lustig Bros., Samuel-Rozenbaum, Apple Diamonds, Ceder Diamonds, Waldman, and Delta.

The program will include a press conference on June 23 in Tokyo, with the Israeli delegation chairs, Israeli Ambassador Yitzhak Lior, Masami Tatsumi, president of the Tokyo Diamond Exchange, and Kisaburo Masaki, JJA chairman. In addition, officials will participate in a seminar emphasizing the Israel diamond industry’s central role in the world diamond industry and in a lecture entitled, “Strategies to Sell More Diamonds in Japan,” by Derek Palmer, DTC Asia Pacific regional director. On June 24, the Israeli Ambassador in Tokyo will host a reception for delegation members and JJA and TDE officials. In Osaka, David Rudlin, general manager of DTC Japan, will address the mission at a seminar dinner on June 30.

Shmuel Schnitzer stressed the importance of the longstanding ties between Japan and Israel.

“We see Japan as one of the leading economies in the world, which has been an outstanding importer of polished diamonds from Israel,” he said in a statement. “Despite the current slowdown, which we believe is temporary, we are convinced that now is the time to build upon our trade relations in anticipation of future growth. Therefore we are pleased that we will be able to bring a sizeable delegation of Israeli diamantaires to Japan. I am confident that the visit of this delegation will infuse new life into our trade ties.”

JCK