[REVISION HISTORY]

Japan-Vietnam bilateral cooperation expansion

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2026-09-06 10:07 UTC → 2026-09-11 14:20 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Japan and Vietnam are deepening their bilateral relationship through enhanced local government cooperation and expanding economic ties. Following the 2023 upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, cooperation has moved into a phase of ‘accompanying development’ to address regional challenges. Local government engagement has been institutionalized through forums such as the Vietnam-Japan Local Cooperation ~~Forum, which focuses on high-tech~~ Forum. During recent sessions, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized leveraging science, technology, and innovation. Future collaboration targets include artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology, satellite technology, smart cities, and sustainable agriculture. These efforts aim to build ecosystems for technology adoption, including AI, IoT, and smart irrigation, in alignment with the MIDORI Plan for climate-resilient agriculture. Economic interest from Japanese enterprises remains exceptionally high. A ~~recent~~ survey by the Japan External Trade Organization indicates that Vietnam continues to hold the highest rate of planned business expansion among Japanese companies in the ASEAN region for the second consecutive year. Approximately 57% of Japanese enterprises operating in Vietnam plan to expand within one to two years, with 68% of businesses citing market scale and growth potential as primary drivers. Japanese investment in Vietnam reached approximately $80.3 billion by July 2026, making Japan the third-largest investor in the country. Regional investment is significant, with Japanese projects in Ho Chi Minh City totaling over $15 billion as of late 2025, and investments in Can Tho City exceeding $1.6 billion, focusing on manufacturing, IT, electronics, and energy. In September 2026, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung proposed evolving these ties from a traditional investor-host model toward a ‘co-development partnership’ focused on joint innovation, production, and integration into global value chains. This strategy seeks to attract high-quality foreign direct investment that offers advanced technology and strong linkages with domestic enterprises. Bilateral trade has reflected this momentum, reaching $33.7 billion in the first seven months of 2026, a 16.8% increase over the previous year.

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