Futoshi Matsumoto, the ambassador of Japan to Iraq, held a meeting with Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Al-Sudani on Monday to discuss ways to encourage private sector investment in the country. The meeting was attended by Hajime Mori, representative of Sumitomo Corporation, Yutaka Ezaki, CEO of Toyota Iraq, and Sardar Al-Bebany, Chairman of Sardar Group. During the meeting, the Ambassador emphasized the importance of private sector investment in Iraq, and highlighted Toyota Iraq as a leading model for other companies to follow. The meeting concluded with a commitment from all parties to work together to encourage more private sector investment in Iraq and to further strengthen the economic ties between Iraq and Japan. • This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan