Japan and the EU are mainly trading in machinery, transport equipment and chemical and agricultural products, while the free trade agreement to be signed by the end of the year is to enhance this cooperation, Luka Koper said in a press release.

"Luka Koper is interested and ready to play its part in case of anticipated growth in transshipment," CEO of Luka Koper Dragomir Matić said.

Matić heads the Slovenian delegation in Japan, which includes representatives of seven local logistics companies.

According to him, the Koper port has become an "attractive business partner for Japanese retailers and producers" having three direct container connections to the Far East every week and good railway connections with other European markets.

Japan is mostly transshipping cars and containers of wood, frozen meat, machines etc. through Koper. The quantities of the transshipped goods however are small compared to those on which a Japanese research institute recently inquired, Luka Koper said.