The Japan External Trade Organization started trial sales in Singapore of products from Nara Prefecture in western Japan jointly with Nanto Bank, based in the prefectural capital. Products made by nine companies based in the prefecture, such as daily goods, pottery, textiles and supplements, went on display Nov. 1 for a month-long sale at the MELO shop at the Funan Mall in downtown Singapore, the Japanese government-backed trade promoting organization said last week. The shop is test-marketing new Japanese products. Among the Nara-origin products available there are soap made of persimmon leaf…