Japan-Vietnam ties grow with over 1,000 Japanese firms in southern Vietnam: consul general

Ono made the statement at a program launched on Friday in Can Tho City, Vietnam's Mekong Delta, to strengthen connections between the city and its Japanese partners, as part of the Vietnam-Japan Cultural and Trade Exchange Program.

He said the association’s membership had surpassed 1,000 Japanese businesses, with many actively contributing to Vietnam’s economic development.

Nationwide, the cumulative newly registered and adjusted investment capital of Japanese investors had reached about US$80.3 billion by the end of July 2026, ranking third among the 153 countries and territories with investments in Vietnam, according to official figures.

In Can Tho alone, cumulative Japanese investment had exceeded $1.6 billion as of June this year, focusing mainly on manufacturing, information technology, electronic equipment manufacturing and energy.

Meanwhile, Japan was the third-largest foreign investor in Ho Chi Minh City as of the end of 2025, with more than 2,200 valid projects and total registered capital of over $15 billion, according to the Voice of Vietnam.

Addressing the meeting, chairman of the Can Tho administration Truong Canh Tuyen said the city considers Japanese partners and businesses important and promising partners and highly values their capacity, reputation and cooperative spirit.

The city sees significant potential for expanding Japanese investment in key areas including high-tech agriculture, food processing, logistics infrastructure, smart urban development, digital transformation, environmental protection, tourism and high-quality human resource training.

The Can Tho administration will continue to improve its investment environment and support Japanese investors and businesses so that they can operate effectively and prosper over the long term, Tuyen said.

According to Ono, Can Tho has also established cooperation ties with several Japanese localities.

Most recently, Can Tho and Fukuoka signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and exchanges in drainage and economic development.

Ono expressed his hope that the meeting would further promote economic exchanges and cooperation between Can Tho and its Japanese partners, contributing to stronger Vietnam-Japan ties in general.