Japan 's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Banri Kaieda said Friday that Japan is now focusing on Turkey and Jordan as the next targets for sales of nuclear power plants.

Japan aims to win contracts by offering not only plants but also "operations, maintenance and expert education support" as a package, Kaieda said in an interview with Dow Jones.

The Japanese government aims to promote economic growth by exporting nuclear and green technologies. In November, Japan signed a deal with Vietnam under which a Japanese consortium will build two reactors in the southeastern Vietnamese province of Ninh Thuan . Operations are slated to start in 2021.

However, the focus on the Middle East puts Japan in direct competition with emerging nuclear exporter South Korea, which in December 2009 was awarded a $20.4 billion contract to build four nuclear power stations in the United Arab Emirates.

Japan believes it is in a better position than South Korea in Turkey , because the latter walked out of negotiations with Turkey in December after failing to reach an agreement, mainly due to differences over electricity pricing.

Following the breakdown in talks, Turkey started formal negotiations with Japan .

" Turkey is frequently hit by earthquakes, just like Japan . They expect Japanese technology provides better earthquake safety," a senior METI official said Friday.

In Jordan , a South Korean consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corp. (015760.SE) had previously expressed interest in nuclear power plant project there, but a short list of bidders for a contract to build Jordan 's first reactor hasn't included the South Korean consortium so far.

Jordan 's Atomic Energy Commission said in December that a joint venture between France's Areva (CEI.FR) and Japan 's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (7011.TO), Russia 's Atomstroyexport, and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. are bidders.

South Korea's finance minister, who has been visiting Egypt this week, was Thursday quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying he expected enhanced cooperation with the Egyptians in the nuclear power sector.

Japan started informal discussions about nuclear power plant projects with Egypt , Kuwait and Saudi Arabia late last year.

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