TOKYO — The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and Japan’s Gunma prefecture on July 23 co-hosted an economic seminar in Tokyo on promoting public-private cooperation in digital transformation, highlighting growing opportunities for bilateral collaboration in technology, innovation and digital workforce development.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu said the topic is particularly timely as global competitiveness is increasingly determined not by labour costs or market size, but by countries’ innovation capacity, the ability to master technology and digital readiness. He noted that artificial intelligence (AI), green transition, economic security and supply chain restructuring are reshaping growth models and competitive advantages worldwide.

Hiệu recalled that during Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s official visit to Việt Nam in May 2026, the two countries’ leaders agreed to make science and technology, innovation and digital transformation a new pillar of the Việt Nam – Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He said the seminar represents a concrete step toward translating high-level commitments into practical cooperation programmes involving localities, businesses and research institutions from both countries.

Gunma Governor Yamamoto Ichita introduced the prefecture’s potential and strengths in digital transformation, expressing his hope that cooperation between Vietnamese and Gunma enterprises will thrive in the coming years.

Participants noted that AI and automation are becoming key drivers of productivity growth in the global digital transformation process. Japan has adopted a forward-looking strategy that integrates AI and robotics into its digital transformation agenda, with the country's AI robotics market projected to reach 60 trillion JPY (US$367 billion) by 2040, contributing an estimated 1.6 per cent to annual real GDP growth.

At the same time, the country faces a growing shortage of skilled professionals, with demand for around 30,000 engineers and specialists capable of supporting digital transformation projects at the grassroots level. This presents significant opportunities for Việt Nam and Gunma to deepen cooperation in developing digital human resources, strengthening implementation capacity, and advancing technology partnerships. The participation of Vietnamese IT companies is expected to help address Japan’s workforce needs while enabling Vietnamese engineers to further develop advanced technological solutions for both markets.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan reaffirmed its commitment to serving as a trusted bridge connecting Gunma with Vietnamese ministries, localities, universities and businesses to promote concrete cooperation in investment, trade, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and human resources development.

On the occasion, the Gunma Prefecture Industrial Support Organisation, FPT University and FPT Japan Holdings exchanged a memorandum of understanding, laying the groundwork for broader and more substantive collaboration programmes between Việt Nam and Gunma. — VNA/VNS