The “Vietnam Days in Japan 2013″ was organised in the five Japanese cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Fukuoka and Nagoya in late September 2013. The event featured various political, economic and cultural activities and became the largest ever general event that Vietnam launched in Japan or in other foreign countries. This is the nucleus of the general programme – “Vietnam Days in Japan 2013″ and “Vietnam – Japan Friendship Year 2013″ – in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam – Japan diplomatic ties.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in addition to the celebrating anniversary of 40-year Vietnam – Japan diplomatic relations establishment, Vietnam has organised 13 economic events (like economic cooperation, investment and tourism promotion forums and workshops in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya); many cultural activities (like Vietnamese cultural galas in Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya); Vietnamese festivals in Tokyo and Nagoya; many governmental official meetings and exchanges in Osaka, Hyogo, Kobe, Fukuoka and Aichi; events hosted by friendship organisations and economic associations like Chubu – Chukeiren Economic Federation, the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) and, the Kyushu Economic Federation (Kyukeiren), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in Tokyo and other localities. Vietnam has also paid many visits to Japan’s big corporations.
The right-time selection of event organisation, placed in the context of fine Vietnam – Japan relationship and in political, economical cultural centres of Japan, has created strong ripple effect and drawn the attention of Japanese audience.
Statistics show that participants exceeded expectations. Up to 130,000 people visited the Vietnam Festival in Tokyo and 78,000 visitors came to the Hello Vietnam Festival in Nagoya. Japanese companies actively participated in economic cooperation activities, forums and seminars, particularly big firms like Mitsubishi, Itochu and Kawasaki.
Economic cooperation forums and seminars in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya with the themes of “Promoting investment into information technology, high-tech and supporting industries” and “Promoting agricultural cooperation” were interested by both Vietnamese and Japanese companies and authorities.
Japan shared experience of overall economic development strategies and underlined the need for operation of existing industrial zones and the focus on high-tech industries, basic industries, intermediate industries like supporting industries, electricity, petrochemical and health.
Japanese companies also stressed the importance of agriculture and rural development, high tech application to agricultural development, perfection of irrigation systems and measures to combat climate change.
Some Japanese companies shared experience in doing business in Vietnam and suggested measures for its investment environment improvement as well as increased preferences (simplifying procedure licence, maintaining stable legal environment, etc.), human resource training, investment for production localisation and high-level production.
Economic cooperation forums and workshops also heard Japanese companies’ long-term commitments to Vietnam.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Planning and Investment collaborated with Kankeiren (Kansai Economic Federation) to open Kansai Business Desk; Thai Binh province of Vietnam cooperated with the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry to organise a workshop on investment promotion into Thai Binh province; and VCCI joined hands with JCCI to organise a workshop on business connectivity. Vietnamese localities also carried out their own cooperation programmes with Japanese partners in order to boost cooperation as their cooperation potential remained hugely untapped. Notably, Ben Tre province visited Furukawa AFS Group which planned to expand its existing automobile parts manufacturing base in Ben Tre province, making it the second largest production base amongst 29 production bases of the Group in the world. Thai Binh province also paid a visit to Yamakawa Company, a company specialised in plasma waste treatment technology. Rector of Thai Binh Medical University exchanged with the Chairman of the Tokyo Nursing University on cooperation prospects between the two universities. Quang Ngai province exchanged with Fukuoka City on mutual cooperation prospects.
Vietnam – Japan relations are in the best state ever. This is a favourable condition for the two countries to make more effort to elevate their strategic relationship for the sake of the two countries people and contribute to the development of Vietnam.
Quynh Anh
Đăng ký: VietNam News