Visit to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre

On February 21, Ambassador Hajime Hayashi visited the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), an umbrella organisation representing the Belgian diamond industry. Mr. Ari Epstein, CEO of the AWDC and other staff provided him with an overall presentation of the AWDC’s activities and the world diamond value chain. After discussing the Japanese diamond market with them, Ambassador Hayashi visited the laboratory which issues diamond certificates, as well as the Diamond Office responsible for controlling the procedures of all diamond shipments imported to and exported from Belgium.
As 84% of all rough diamonds in the world are traded in Antwerp, the AWDC is working in collaboration with Japanese diamond traders in order to increase the export of higher quality diamonds to the Japanese market.

Pictures by the AWDC