The event aimed to facilitate direct dialogue, address obstacles, and promote the investment and business environment for the Japanese business community operating in Ho Chi Minh City.
To date, Japanese companies have invested more than 15 billion USD in over 2,200 projects, reflecting sustained confidence and commitment to the market. In particular, the close ties between Japanese businesses over the years have fostered strategic trust between Ho Chi Minh City and Japan.
Nguyen Thanh Toan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance, emphasised that 2025 is a special time as Ho Chi Minh City enters an era of administrative boundary expansion.
This strategic change will create a new Ho Chi Minh City of unprecedented scale, opening up enormous opportunities in terms of markets, infrastructure connectivity, and access to international financial resources, he noted.
According to Toan, after the merger, Ho Chi Minh City will focus on implementing five breakthrough areas to create momentum for development: building an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City; developing a chain of smart cities; restructuring the economy towards innovation and high technology; developing the marine economy and logistics; building a chain of eco-tourism and high-end resorts meeting international standards.
To realise these goals, in addition to general preferential policies on taxes and land under the Investment Law, Ho Chi Minh City is implementing superior special mechanisms through the amendment of Resolution No.98.
According to the JCCH, the JCCH currently has nearly 1,100 member businesses, making it the third largest business association in the world.
At this year’s roundtable conference, JCCH presented 23 recommendations and proposals from Japanese businesses in four areas: legal-labour, taxation, customs, and living environment.
In his concluding remarks, Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, acknowledged the contributions from the Japanese business community.
He emphasised that Ho Chi Minh City will focus strongly on institutional reform, improving the investment and business environment, streamlining appraisal processes, and shortening the time for handling procedures for projects, especially public-private partnership (PPP) projects.
Ho Chi Minh City will continue to reduce administrative procedures, creating a more transparent, consistent, and friendly investment environment, helping businesses confidently implement long-term plans, promoting a green economy, a circular economy, and sustainable growth, he added.
