Meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Economic Seminar in Central Vietnam

May 2023

On May 5, JETRO Chairman and CEO Ishiguro Norihiko had a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam at the Prime Minister’s office in Hanoi. During the meeting, Chairman Ishiguro talked to Prime Minister Chinh about the expanding entry of Japanese companies to Vietnam, as well as the growing Japanese-Vietnamese cooperation in the green and DX fields. In addition, he requested the Prime Minister to solve issues that Japanese companies in Vietnam are facing in the business enviromnent, such as insufficient transperancy and delays in administrative procedures and difficulties in recruiting employees.

In response, Prime Minister Chinh stated that Japan is a trustworthy partner for Vietnam, and that he has already directed the relevant ministries and agencies and made endeavors to improve the raised issues. He also stated that his government would make efforts to ensure that Japanese companies and investors can invest in Vietnam and make a profit with a sense of security. He also expressed hope that JETRO would assist Japanese companies in entering his country with technologies that contribute to new fields such as digital transformation (DX), green transformation (GX) and a circular economy, as well as improving Vietnamese productivity and participating in global supply chains.

On the same day, Chairman Ishiguro also had a meeting with Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai to exchange opinions on cooperation between JETRO and their ministries in order to promote business in both countries in a two-way manner.

On the following day, the 6th, an economy-investment seminar titled “The Thanh Hoa–Japan Connecting Conference 2023” took place in Thanh Hoa Province of central Vietnam. It was planned along with a visit to Vietnam and Thanh Hóa Province by a delegation of approximately 100 people led by Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Nikai Toshihiro, taking the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam. In his opening remarks, JETRO Chairman Ishiguro emphasized the strength of Japanese companies' interest in Vietnam, citing the facts that the trade value between Japan and Vietnam has increased nearly tenfold, that Vietnam has ranked second in JETRO's survey on "Countries/Regions for Overseas Expansion" for the sixth consecutive year and that the number of inquiries on Vietnam that JETRO receives per year has reached 4,700. Around 600 people from the governments and companies of Japan and Vietnam attended the seminar, which was divided into two sections, "the economy and labor force" and "tourism and regional exchange," with discussions focused on Japan-Vietnam cooperation toward rapid and sustainable development.

Meeting between Chairman Ishiguro and Prime Minister Chinh

Commemorative picture at the seminar

Presentation at the seminar