Held to mark the 50th anniversary of the nations’ diplomatic ties, the event was co-organized by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In his opening speech, Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Van Nghia, head of the HCMA’s international cooperation department, praised Japan's role in Vietnam's multifaceted economic development. Japan's contributions have helped Vietnam maintain a trajectory of stable growth, driven by the far-reaching impacts of foreign direct investment (FDI). Projects with Japan's support in terms of finance, experts and technology have assisted Vietnam in switching from a model heavily reliant on capital and labour to one with a robust export-oriented structure.
Sugano Yuichi, Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam, said the symposium is part of the JICA CHAIRS programme, which has been executed since 2020 to disseminate valuable lessons and experience garnered from Japan's socio-economic development journey.
Sugano expressed his optimism that participating experts will exchange insights into effective collaboration methods underpinning the partnership between the two countries.
Professor Tran Van Tho, an honorary professor at Japan’s Waseda University, stressed Japan's keen interest in Vietnam's development path and their cooperation encompassing institutional reforms, business climate improvement, and support for Vietnam’s devising of industrialization strategies. Related initiatives serving such efforts include the Ishikawa project (1995-2000), Vietnam-Japan initiative from 2003 onwards, and an array of industrial policy research endeavours.
