TOKYO — Two investment promotion conferences held by a delegation from Tây Ninh in Tokyo and Osaka have attracted a large number of Japanese participants, reflecting the strong interest of local businesses in the potential of the southern Vietnamese province.

During its working trip to Japan from November 16 – 22, the delegation, led by Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Quyết, is set to carry out a series of investment-promotion activities, business-environment presentations and labour-cooperation initiatives.

The Tokyo conference took place on November 19, where Phạm Tấn Hoà, Vice Chairman of the Tây Ninh People’s Committee, affirmed that the province prioritises high-quality investment, guided by the principles of efficiency, technology and environmental sustainability. He pledged that the authorities would maintain a transparent investment environment, streamline administrative procedures, and regard business success as the province’s own.

Tây Ninh currently hosts 176 Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with a combined capital of more than US$1.26 billion.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu highlighted the locality’s strategic position along the HCM City – Cambodia – mainland ASEAN economic corridor, its rapidly improving infrastructure, abundant young workforce and its authorities’ constructive approach. He affirmed that the embassy would continue to support Japanese enterprises interested in investing in Tây Ninh and help promote concrete, sustainable projects.

Hirano Kenichi, Vice President of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Tokyo, cited survey data showing that more than 56 per cent of Japanese firms in Việt Nam plan to expand operations in the next one to two years, the highest rate in ASEAN. Tây Ninh, he noted, stands out thanks to its connectivity advantages and strengths in industrial and logistics development.

He added that JETRO would continue supporting Japanese companies through Việt Nam–Japan start-up networking programmes, initiatives to increase local procurement of components to enhance production value in Việt Nam, and assistance in recruiting senior Vietnamese personnel.

Sharing insights from long-term business experience, Katsuhiko Usui, General Director of Sapporo Việt Nam, said the Sapporo Group conducted extensive surveys before choosing Tây Ninh (then within Long An’s administrative boundary) for its investment 16 years ago. The province’s proximity to HCM City and its favourable links to seaports and waterways offer advantages for distribution and export. More importantly, the close support of local authorities throughout the project-preparation phase has strengthened investors’ confidence.

He expressed hope that Japanese enterprises seeking opportunities in Việt Nam would look to Tây Ninh, and affirmed that Sapporo is ready to share its investment experience.

The conference concluded with the signing of several important memoranda of understanding, including one between Obayashi Corporation and the Tây Ninh economic zone authority on supporting Japanese enterprises in hydrogen-energy transition within local industrial parks, and another between Toyota Long An and Corolla Fukusima on expanding investment in Tây Ninh.

Earlier, a similar conference was held in Osaka on November 17, attracting around 120 Japanese delegates.

In his opening remarks, Hòa expressed the wish that Tây Ninh could expand substantive, long-term cooperation with the Kansai region. He noted that the province has already established ties with Hyogo, Wakayama, Ibaraki and Okayama prefectures.

In Osaka, numerous cooperation agreements were also signed, including a partnership between the Long An International Port and the Port of Kobe, and a pact between the Việt Nam–Japan Economic Promotion Association and Tây Ninh Department of Industry and Trade to support local businesses in exhibiting and exporting products to Japan.

On the sidelines of the events, in an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents, Kamibayashiyama Masao, General Director of Sumitomo Forestry Vietnam – an investor in Tây Ninh since 2010, assessed that the province would remain a fast-growing area of southern Vietnam and expressed hope that the local authorities would continue administrative reforms to shorten licensing procedures.

Tokumoto Ryuji of Shoko Bussan expressed his wish to boost two-way trade, particularly the export of Vietnamese coffee to Japan. — VNA/VNS