From the Vietnamese side, leaders of the provinces of Dien Bien, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Long An, and Soc Trang attended the event, which was organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka, and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
In his speech, VCCI Vice President Hoang Quang Phong stated the forum is a venue for Vietnamese representatives to provide the Japanese business community with detailed information on the local investment attraction policies, incentives, and support, and for Japanese businesses already invested in Vietnam to share their experiences and lessons with startups.
Phong expressed his confidence that with the two governments’ determination and their relevant agencies’ close cooperation, the countries’ economic, trade, and investment cooperation will continue to develop, bringing tangible benefits to their business communities.
For his part, Torii Shingo, Chairperson of the OCCI, said he hopes to welcome representatives from Vietnamese localities and businesses to participate in the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives."
At the forum, speakers discussed a series of topics including trends and investment needs of Japanese businesses in Vietnam in the near future, Vietnam’s economic situation, and information on the participating Vietnamese provinces.
Vietnamese Consul General Ngo Trinh Ha told the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the event that the forum took place in the context of the 50th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations, with commemorative activities held across various fields such as investment, trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The Consulate General pledged to continue to support the plans and collaboration between localities and businesses from both sides in the time to come.
Trade between Kansai and Vietnam hit 12 billion USD in 2022, up 24.2% year-on-year. As of the end of 2022, the region invested in approximately 850 projects worth over 9 billion USD in Vietnam. Currently, there are approximately 90,000 Vietnamese people living, studying, and working in Kansai.