The Prime Minister proposed expanding cooperation between the Kansai region (Japan) and Vietnamese localities.

(laichau.gov.vn) On the afternoon of November 3, at the Government headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Mr. Nishimura Teiichi, Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region and members of the Friendship Association's delegation who are visiting and working in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Mr. Nishimura Teiichi , Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Welcoming President Nishimura Teiichi and the delegation of the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region to visit Vietnam on the occasion of the Association's 30th anniversary, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated and thanked the Association for its valuable sentiments and effective contributions to many practical activities for Vietnam over the past 30 years, including its attention and creation of favorable conditions for the community of more than 100,000 Vietnamese people living and studying in the Kansai region.

Pleased to see the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership develop well in all fields in recent times, the Prime Minister said that the Vietnam-Japan relationship has high political trust. Japan continues to be Vietnam's number 1 partner in ODA cooperation (with about 23 billion USD by the end of fiscal year 2024) and labor cooperation, the third largest investor, the fourth largest trade and tourism partner of Vietnam, with a total trade turnover of the two countries reaching 48.18 billion USD.

Along with that, cooperation in science and technology, innovation and training of high-quality human resources is a new pillar that is being actively promoted by the two countries. Local cooperation, people-to-people exchange and cultural exchange are increasingly vibrant, close and close. The Vietnamese community in Japan has reached more than 630,000 people and there are currently more than 2,000 Japanese enterprises investing and doing business in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region and the Association to continue to pay attention to, support and promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan to develop more and more effectively - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Appreciating the role and importance of the Kansai region in Japan-Vietnam relations, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that investment by businesses in the Kansai region accounts for 30% of Japan's total investment capital in Vietnam, and trade between Kansai and Vietnam accounts for about 25% of the two countries' trade turnover. Kansai is the region with the most vibrant cooperative relations with Vietnamese localities in Japan, with over 10 pairs of friendly cooperative relations with Vietnamese localities.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region and the Association to continue to pay attention to, support, and promote the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership to develop more effectively and substantially.

In particular, calling on Japanese enterprises in general and the Kansai region in particular to increase investment in Vietnam, especially in the fields of processing industry, supporting industry, high-tech agriculture, biotechnology, digital transformation, green transformation... associated with technology transfer; promoting exchange activities, delegation exchanges to strengthen economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges such as organizing cherry blossom festivals in Vietnam; expanding local cooperation in the Kansai region with localities of Vietnam.

The Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region sincerely thanked the Prime Minister for taking the time to receive the delegation; and said that in the 30 years since its establishment, the Friendship Association has always been active in fostering the increasingly good development of Vietnam-Japan relations.

The Association has advocated and supported the establishment of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka; actively connected businesses of the two countries, supported and promoted Japanese businesses to invest in Vietnam; organized many activities to promote Vietnam, cultural and sports exchanges, and support Vietnamese students living in Kansai...

Assessing the extremely important role of Vietnam's human resources for Japan's development, Mr. Nishimura Teiichi said that the Association will continue to act as a bridge with Vietnam, through investment promotion seminars, promoting relationships between ministries, branches and localities of the two countries. The Association will continue to make efforts to support the introduction and promotion of Vietnam's potential, advantages, cooperation and investment opportunities to Japanese enterprises, investors and partners; hoping that the Government and the Prime Minister will pay attention and support these activities, contributing to the development of Vietnam - Japan relations.

Mr. Nishimura Teiichi said that the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region will continue to play a bridging role with Vietnam, through investment promotion seminars, promoting relations between ministries, branches and localities of the two countries - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Responding to a number of requests from members of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region and affirming that the Vietnamese Government is ready to create all favorable conditions for Japanese enterprises in general and the Kansai region in particular to invest and do business successfully in Vietnam, the Prime Minister said that Vietnam is in the golden population period and is ready to supply labor to Japan, but needs to be trained in knowledge, culture, skills, and law to meet the requirements of the Japanese side.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region continue to promote cooperation in science and technology and high-quality human resource training through strengthening connections between training facilities, universities and research institutes in the Kansai region and Vietnam; and continue to care for and support the Vietnamese community studying, working and living in Kansai.

Recalling previous meetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in different positions, Mr. Nishimura Teiichi and members of the delegation said that they will continue to work with the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Kansai region to call on Japanese enterprises to cooperate and invest in Vietnam; promote local cooperation; expand cooperation in human resource training and other areas of cooperation as the Prime Minister has commented.

*The Kansai region of Japan consists of 9 provinces with close economic ties, with an area of ​​31,000 km2 (8% of Japan's area), a population of nearly 23 million (equivalent to 16% of Japan's population), and a GDP of about 800 billion USD (equivalent to 16% of Japan's GDP).

This is a major economic center, Kansai businesses are highly integrated into the international economy, especially with Asia; at the same time it is a training center with many famous universities and high-tech research and development.

Updated on November 3, 2025

Source: https://laichau.gov.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/chuyen-de/tin-trong-nuoc/thu-tuong-de-nghi-mo-rong-hop-tac-giua-vung-kansai-nhat-ban-voi-cac-dia-phuong-viet-nam.html