The Vietnam - Japan joint initiative in the new era consists of five major groups of issues, with its first phase lasting for 19 months. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – A meeting was held in Hanoi on March 27 to launch the first phaseof the Vietnam - Japan joint initiative in the new era.
In his remarks, Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment NguyenChi Dung said the Vietnam - Japan joint initiative, which began in April 2003, is special cooperation between the two governments.
Via the establishment of a policy dialogue forum between Japaneseinvestors and related Vietnamese ministries and sectors, it has contributed tobuilding a transparent and conductive business climate in the Southeast Asiannation, and offered policy recommendations as reference serving the law andpolicy refinement processes by local agencies.
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio said after two decades, the initiativecompleted eight phases, with 84% of the workload finished on time, giving aboost to foreign capital inflows in Vietnam, particularly from Japan.
The Vietnam - Japan joint initiativein the new era consists of five major groups of issues. They involve thepromotion of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), green transition, innovation,and digital transformation, the strengthening of the supply chain, the trainingof high-quality IT, AI, and semiconductor human resources, and the reform ofmechanisms to improve the business climate.
Participating Vietnamese and Japanese delegates agreed thatthe first phase will last for 19 months, with a mid-term review meeting slated forDecember this year and a summit to assess the entire process in October 2025.
The sides pledged cooperative efforts and activeimplementation of commitments in the action plan to meet the set goals, for mutual prosperity of the Vietnamese and Japanese business communities and theenhancement of the two countries’ relations.
As of February 20, Japanese investors had channeled 74.3billion USD into 5,288 projects in Vietnam. In the first two months of 2024,their registered investment amounted to 422.4 million USD, soaring by 290%year-on-year./.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received Komura Masahiro, member of the House of Representatives and Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in Hanoi on March 12.
With a thriving seafood processing industry and many high-quality processing plants, Vietnam has been chosen by Japanese enterprises for partnership in processing products for export to various markets such as the US and ASEAN countries. according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF).
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang highly valued the valuable support for Vietnam provided by Nippon Foundation, Sasakawa Peace Foundation and their Chairman Yohei Sasakawa since 1980, during a reception in Hanoi on March 19 for the Japanese guest.
The Japanese Embassy in Vietnam in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) held a workshop in Hanoi on March 19, highlighting Vietnam's and Japan’s efforts to promote labour mobility between the two nations.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang received Executive Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yamada Junichi in Hanoi on March 26.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
At the summit, publishing, tech, and media sectors will discuss emerging trends, business models, and sustainable solutions for digital publishing development in Vietnam.
This year’s “Vietnam Goods Week” marks a significant milestone as it is being held simultaneously for the first time in four locations across Asia: Japan, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Malaysia, from June 19 - 22.
According to NordCham Vietnam Chairman Thue Quist Thomasen, the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to contribute to green and sustainable growth.
The analysis from an investment perspective shows that the economy’s growth has been heavily capital‑driven, yet efficiency remains low as reflected by Vietnam’s Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR) being significantly higher than global and regional averages. This underscores the imperative to enhance capital‑use efficiency.
The Vietnam - Japan joint initiative in the new era consists of five major groups of issues, with its first phase lasting for 19 months. (Photo: VNA) 
