Egypt, Japan to form joint trade group: Trade and Industry Minister Amr Nassar yesterday agreed with a Japanese trade delegation to set up a joint working group to promote trade between the two countries, according to a ministry statement. The group will be headed by the chair of the Egyptian Commercial Representation Authority, and feature representatives of Egyptian export councils and the Egyptian trade office in Tokyo. A number of Japanese companies expressed interest in expanding investments in Egypt during the recent Tokyo International Conference on African Development, and plans have been floated for a Japanese industrial zone in the Suez Canal area.