A delegation from the Japanese Leather Industry Federation, accompanied by the director of Wenzhou Footwear & Leather Association, visited several Wenzhou companies on August 9. The firms visited included Kangnai shoe group and the Far East Leather Company.

A spokesman for the Japanese federation said that following the success of this trip, plans were under way to organise a Japanese pigskin tannery mission to also visit Wenzhou. The visit is set to take place in September, whilst representatives from Japanese pigskin tanneries are in Wenzhou for the 10th China (Wenzhou) Leather Exhibition on September 13-15.

With stricter requirements in treating wastewater, Japanese’s pigskin tanneries are facing greater pressure from the local government and now are considering a move to China since over half of the pigskin that Japanese tanneries use is imported from China”, said a spokesman from the Japanese Leather Industry Federation.