Japanese businesses keep up interest in Vietnam

Tokyo (VNA) - Vietnam remains a promising destination for Japanese investors,
said an official of the Japan-ASEAN Centre (JAC), quoting an increasing number of
Japanese businesses coming to the centre for information on the country's business
environment.

In response to the growing interest, JAC will arrange a Vietnam visit for
Japanese investors next month, Vong Sam Ang, Director of JAC Investment Division,
told a Vietnam Investment Seminar held in Tokyo on Feb. 19.
Nearly 300 representatives of Japanese businesses and investors attended the
event, which was co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and
Investment (MPI) and the JAC.

Kyoshi Ichikawa, senior advisor to the MPI, affirmed that socio-political
stability is a strong point of Vietnam , which helped many Japanese businesses
gain success in the country.

He also highlighted such advantages as similarities in culture and religion
between the two countries and cheap and abundant skilled workers alongside
difficulties businesses face in Vietnam , including cumbersome procedures.

Speaking at the seminar, Phan Huu Thang, director of the MPI's Foreign Investment
Department said Vietnam is continuing to improve its legal framework improved
foreign investment and implementation of its WTO commitments.

He announced that Vietnam is encouraging foreign investment in high-tech goods
manufacture, new energy, mechanical engineering, IT, research and production of
food and agro-forestry-fishery products, and production activities that use
advanced technologies.

Speaking to the press after the seminar, Thang reiterated that Japanese investors
play an important role in Vietnam 's economic development. Japan is a partner
of high potential to Vietnam , particularly in the current world economic
situation.

The seminar would help Japanese businesses to find new investment opportunities in
Vietnam when Japanese economy is also facing difficulties, Thang said.

Earlier, the MPI organised a similar seminar in Japan 's central city of Nagoya
. Japanese investors have focused their interest on Vietnam 's measures to
lure foreign investment and its support policies for businesses in the current
situation.-Enditem