Trend of Japanese investment capital shifting to Vietnam

This information was shared by Mr. Abe Ryota, an expert from Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, at the Ho Chi Minh City - Hyogo (Japan) Economic Forum 2025, which took place on the afternoon of August 5 in Ho Chi Minh City.

At the forum, providing information on the investment situation of Japanese enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Toan, Deputy Director of the City Department of Finance, said that as of June 2025, Japan had 2,232 valid investment projects in Ho Chi Minh City, with a total registered capital of more than 15.4 billion USD, accounting for about 19.4% of the total FDI capital in the city.

Currently, Japan is the third largest strategic investor among 129 countries and territories with investment projects in Ho Chi Minh City.

Many large corporations such as AEON, Mitsubishi Corporation, MUFG, Mizuho, Tokyu… have chosen Ho Chi Minh City as an investment destination, which shows investors' confidence in the investment environment here.

Many businesses from Hyogo Prefecture (Japan) are looking for investment opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City.

Sharing about the investment situation of Japanese enterprises in Vietnam, Mr. Abe Ryota, an expert from Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, commented that the direct investment capital flow from Japan to Vietnam is clearly shifting.

He analyzed that by 2022, while investment in the manufacturing sector stagnates, non-manufacturing sectors such as finance, trade, services, etc. will record strong growth.

Overall, investment flows from Japan to Vietnam remain stable, with the number of Japanese enterprises increasing from 1,944 companies (in 2019) to 2,394 companies (in 2023).

Notably, Japanese businesses and households are actively looking for new investment channels as cash and deposits at non-financial businesses are at record highs.

At the same time, the trend of shifting from savings to domestic investment is also spreading, creating favorable conditions for individual investment capital to flow abroad in the coming time.

With Japanese investors shifting their investments to the fields of finance, trade and services, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Toan, Deputy Director of the Department of Finance, informed that the City is actively calling for investment in many key projects such as: international financial center, logistics center, deep-water seaport, petrochemical refinery, etc.

Mr. Toan expressed his hope to cooperate with Japanese enterprises in areas of strength, especially industries with high knowledge and technology content such as: smart manufacturing, semiconductor technology, biotechnology, smart cities, logistics and green, sustainable solutions.

He also emphasized that the City government is committed to maintaining a stable and consistent investment policy after the merger. At the same time, administrative procedures will be streamlined, digital transformation will be promoted, and industry and land use planning will be reviewed synchronously to ensure smoothness and transparency for investors.

On the Vietnamese side, Mr. Dinh Hong Ky, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Green Business Association (HGBA), commented that Hyogo Prefecture businesses will find many opportunities to cooperate with Ho Chi Minh City businesses in areas such as: energy, carbon management for industrial parks and new urban areas; environmental equipment and solutions for logistics infrastructure; water supply, waste treatment; and ESG human resource training.

Mr. Ky hopes that HGBA will act as a bridge to help Hyogo businesses access the green ecosystem that is taking shape in Ho Chi Minh City. He also hopes that Hyogo businesses will spread the Japanese green transformation model to Vietnamese businesses in a practical and effective way.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/xu-huong-dich-chuyen-dong-von-dau-tu-nhat-ban-vao-viet-nam-d350320.html