Okabe Mitsutoshi, Chief Representative of JETRO Ho Chi Minh City, said the meeting aimed to gather information on Can Tho’s development plans, priority investment areas and policies to support foreign businesses. The findings will be published on JETRO’s official website and circulated among Japanese enterprises considering expanding into Vietnam, particularly to the southern region.

According to Okabe, Japanese investors remain highly interested in Vietnam thanks to its favourable investment climate, large and growing market, political and social stability, and competitive labour costs. He noted concerns about administrative procedures, rising labour expenses and incomplete infrastructure. Addressing these issues, he said, would help strengthen investor confidence in Can Tho.

Vice Chairman Nam said that the city, with an economic scale of US$11.6 billion and annual exports worth US$5 billion, is prioritising investment in agriculture, aquaculture and food processing. Can Tho is a major producer of rice, fruit and seafood, including the world’s award-winning ST25 rice variety, generating abundant raw materials for processing and export.

Can Tho welcomes investments in high-quality seed production, circular and organic agriculture, high-tech farming, and agro-forestry projects such as cereal cultivation for feed and wood pellet production. The city has prepared clean land in its industrial zones to facilitate projects in agriculture, processing, renewable energy and logistics.

Currently, the city hosts 125 foreign-invested projects worth more than US$7 billion, including 13 Japanese projects with a combined capital of US$1.65 billion.

JETRO explores post-merger investment environment in Vinh Long

The Vinh Long People’s Committee on September 30 held a working session with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Office in Ho Chi Minh City, led by its Chief Representative Okabe Mitsutoshi, to discuss the Mekong Delta province’s investment environment after its merger.