Japan ready to work with Hanoi on pollution treatment

During a working session with Hanoi authorities on September 4, Takebe said a number of Japanese businesses have dealt with environmental protection issues in the capital city, as well as around Vietnam. He added that Japan’s Hitachi Zosen Corporation has previously cooperated with Vietnam’s T&T Group in waste-to-power projects, while Japan’s Toyo Engineering Corporation has also signed a memorandum of understanding on launching a methane fermentation project to generate power in Hanoi. 

The Japanese Ministry of Environment is willing to work with Vietnam as well as Hanoi to launch waste treatment projects, he said. 

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung affirmed that the capital city will offer all possible support to Japanese investors in the process. 

According to him, many jobs need to be done to address environmental pollution in Hanoi such as treating wastewater, groundwater contamination, air pollution, and clean water supply. The city is also considering the construction of mud-sucking tanks in water and mud treatment plants. 

He said Hanoi strives to raise the rate of treated wastewater to 70 percent by 2020 from the current 20 percent, adding that the city is building the Yen Xa wastewater treatment plant using Japanese-funded official development assistance. 

Hanoi hopes to receive close support from Japan to improve the efficiency of work in this field, he said. 

Before June 2018, Japan was the third largest investor in Hanoi. However currently it is now the largest, with a total foreign direct investment of US$10 billion, accounting for 32 percent of total investment in the city, he added.