The view was shared during a meeting in Hanoi on May 11 between Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Yamanashi Governor Nagasaki Kotaro, as both sides looked to translate the Vietnam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into more practical economic cooperation at the local level.

Japan remains one of Vietnam’s most important economic partners, serving as the country’s largest provider of official development assistance (ODA), a major labour partner and one of its top foreign investors and trading partners.

Against that backdrop, Vietnam is increasingly positioning local-level cooperation as a platform for advancing broader priorities tied to green growth, food security and technological transformation.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said Vietnam consistently views Japan as a long-term and trusted partner, while describing cooperation between localities as an increasingly important pillar in bilateral relations.

He voiced support for Yamanashi in expanding cooperation with Vietnamese provinces including Quang Tri, Lao Cai and Tay Ninh, where partnership frameworks have already been established.

A major focus of the discussions centred on agriculture and food technology. The PM welcomed Japan’s support for Vietnam’s one-million-hectare high-quality, low-emission rice project, saying the initiative could strengthen food security cooperation while supporting Vietnam’s push toward greener agricultural production.

He also called for deeper collaboration in agricultural technology transfer, workforce training and supply-chain development, while encouraging Japan to accelerate market access procedures for Japanese grapes and Vietnamese pomelos.

The issue reflects broader efforts by both countries to diversify high-value agricultural trade and strengthen supply-chain connectivity.

Yamanashi, Japan’s largest producer of grapes and peaches, is also seeking closer cooperation with Vietnam in fruit cultivation and processing technologies.

Governor Nagasaki Kotaro said the prefecture hopes to contribute more actively to the development of Vietnam’s fruit industry through technology sharing, business exchanges and practical cooperation projects.

Beyond agriculture, renewable energy and hydrogen emerged as another key pillar of future cooperation. Vietnam is currently accelerating its energy transition and looking for international partners in areas such as green hydrogen, clean technologies and sustainable industrial development.

Prime Minister Hung encouraged Yamanashi to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and domestic firms in renewable energy and hydrogen-related industries.

Governor Nagasaki said Yamanashi is ready to share expertise and practical experience in renewable energy and hydrogen development, while promoting business connectivity and study exchanges between the two sides.

The talks also highlighted growing cooperation in workforce development. As Vietnam seeks to move toward more technology-intensive industries and Japan faces labour shortages driven by demographic pressures, both sides agreed on the importance of expanding training cooperation in science and technology, high-tech agriculture and technical services.

Prime Minister Hung thanked Yamanashi authorities for supporting the Vietnamese community living and working in the prefecture, expressing hope for continued policies related to healthcare, labour protection and social welfare.

According to the Vietnamese government, around 5,000 Vietnamese people currently live in Yamanashi, while about 40 Yamanashi-based companies are operating in Vietnam.

Governor Nagasaki said the prefecture is developing a healthcare insurance system designed to better support Vietnamese families and help them integrate more comfortably into local society.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Hung invited leaders and businesses from Yamanashi to attend the second Vietnam–Japan local cooperation forum, scheduled to take place in Hue in the third quarter of 2026.

Vietnam–Japan cultural contest empowers youth, boosts tourism exchange

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