Japanese Consul General: Vietnam Is Vital to Japan’s Supply Chains

Japanese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Ono Masuo said during the official visit to Japan by Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President, that Vietnam’s development is indispensable to strengthening Japan’s economic supply chains, including in advanced fields such as semiconductors in the future. He said the two countries’ economic relationship has gradually shifted from one in which Japan provided aid and investment and Vietnam received them to one of more equal mutual support.

Japanese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Ono Masuo.（VietVance）

Ono Masuo said nearly 700,000 Vietnamese people live in Japan and work in various occupations, supporting its economy. During Tô Lâm’s visit, the two countries discussed cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital transformation and green transformation. He said joint efforts by the two governments, businesses and research institutions to train skilled workers would help drive the next stage of development.

Ono Masuo attends the signing ceremony for an agreement under the Japanese government’s grassroots grant assistance program.（VietVance）

Regarding projects in Ho Chi Minh City, Japanese architectural design firm Nikken Sekkei is working with the U.S.-based Boston Consulting Group and the National Institute for Urban and Rural Planning under Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction to prepare the city’s overall development plan. Ono Masuo said Japanese firms have experience in urban rail systems and development along rail lines.

Ho Chi Minh City is advancing construction of an urban rail system totaling more than 350 kilometers. Ono Masuo expects this to create more opportunities for Japanese firms to develop housing and commercial centers along rail lines. He also said major railway projects require enormous funding and expressed hope that Ho Chi Minh City’s international financial center would soon begin operating steadily, allowing Japanese banks and securities firms to do business there.

Source: VietVance