Vietnam-Japan ties promote impetus for integration process
Vietnam has brought into full play its cooperation with Japan to generate new momentum for the country’s integration and development process, a Vietnamese economic expert said.
Deputy Head of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency Do Kim Lang made the statement at a conference to promote trade links in IT and software between the two countries held in Hanoi on November 23, during which he highlighted efforts made by the Vietnamese Government to fine-tune the business and investment climate.
Vietnam has paid attention to simplifying administrative procedures while improving its financial and banking system, and infrastructure facilities, which are expected to help attract more foreign investments, especially those from Japan, he said.
Kobayashi Tatsuo, CEO of Kansai Information System Industry Association in Osaka prefecture, said IT firms from the Kansai region are interested in Vietnam markets. He added that representatives from 12 companies in Kansai are on taking a fact-finding tour to Vietnam to seek business opportunities.
IT connections between Vietnam and Japan have reaped successes in recent times. There are more and more Japanese businesses selecting Vietnam as an attractive destination for investment. Meanwhile, Japan is one of the three largest markets for Vietnamese IT firms.
According to Nguyen Doan Hung, Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan IT Cooperation Club (VJC), Vietnam has a great opportunity to expand its market and promote cooperation in the IT field with Japan. He advised Vietnamese businesses to focus on improving the quality of their products in order to meet requirements from their Japanese counterparts.
Government statistics show that between 2011 and 2013, Japan topped the list of 101 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. By October 2015, Japan poured US$1.48 billion into new and existing projects in Vietnam, raising its total investment in the Southeast Asian nation to nearly US$39 billion.
Japan is Vietnam’s third largest trade partner and second biggest importer.
Two-way trade has witnessed stable growth every year, reaching nearly US$19 billion in the first eight months of the year. Vietnam’s key exports to Japan include textiles, crude oil and aquatic products.