Vietnam introduces potential in Shizuoka

Tokyo (VNA) - A seminar on Vietnam 's economy and cooperation potential between Vietnamese and Japanese localities was recently held in Japanese central prefecture of Shizuoka .

Representatives from over 150 businesses in Shizuoka attended the
seminar.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh said
the Vietnam-Japan relations have strongly developed in all fields. Visits by
high-level leaders of the two countries have brought the bilateral relations
to a new height and the two sides agreed to build a strategic partnership.

The ambassador expressed his wish that cooperation between Shizuoka and
localities in Vietnam would be constantly expanded in economy, culture
and education.

A Vietnamese senior official briefed local entrepreneurs about the
Vietnamese current economic situation, calling upon Shizuoka businesses to
increase their investment in Vietnam to contribute to boosting economic
and trade ties between the two countries.

Several Shizuoka businesses, which are operating effectively in Vietnam
, shared their experiences with other local businesses.

Shizuoka authorities expressed their hope that their new airport, to be
operational in March 2009, will open air links between the two sides,
creating favourable conditions for expansion of economic, cultural and
tourism cooperation.

At present, about 20 companies from Shizuoka , including Yamaha Motor,
Suzuki and Toshiba, are investing in Vietnam .

In 2007, Shizuoka exported 328 million USD worth goods to Vietnam ,
while importing 217 million USD from the Southeast Asian country.

Shizuoka became a sister province of the central province of Thua
Thien-Hue of Vietnam last year. There are about 2,000 Vietnamese people
studying and working in Shizuoka.-