Nghe An leaders host Investment Promotion Conference in Japan

Meeting with ASEAN-Japan Center

In the morning, the delegation met with the AJC. Mr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi, Secretary-General of the AJC, along with the Center’s department heads, participated in the meeting.

Established in 1981 by ASEAN member states and Japan, the AJC is an intergovernmental organization promoting exports from ASEAN countries to Japan, fostering investment and tourism, and facilitating human resource exchanges through conferences, seminars, capacity-building programs, policy research, cultural events, and publications.

Mr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi expressed his pleasure in welcoming the delegation and noted that Vietnam has the most collaborative activities with the AJC among Southeast Asian countries. He commended the proactive approach of localities like Nghe An in seeking investment opportunities.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Thanh An expressed his gratitude to the AJC leadership and staff for their time and support in organizing the investment promotion conference for Japanese businesses in Nghe An in 2024. He highlighted Nghe An's socio-economic development, emphasizing its potential in agriculture, industry, tourism, and trade. With favorable geography, improved infrastructure, and attractive investment policies, Nghe An is becoming a promising destination for international investors, including those from Japan.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed potential cooperation and investment areas. Mr. Bui Thanh An proposed collaboration in attracting investment, promoting trade, technical support, digital transformation, human resource training, and leveraging Nghe An’s tourism potential. He expressed hope that the AJC would assist in connecting Japanese businesses with Nghe An, especially in sectors such as processing, manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, and eco-tourism.

The AJC, through its collaboration with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, committed to facilitate connections between Japanese businesses and Nghe An in areas such as processing, manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, and other proposed activities. The AJC also maintained regular communication to exchange information and promote effective cooperation.

The meeting concluded successfully, opening up new prospects for cooperation between Nghe An and the AJC. This marks an important milestone in the deepening partnership, providing Nghe An with valuable opportunities to learn from Japan's economic and social development experience and promoting the province's image and potential to Japanese businesses and partners, thereby enhancing the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan in the coming years.

Investment Promotion Conference in Japan

In the afternoon, in Tokyo, the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and the AJC, organized the 2024 Japanese Business Investment Promotion Conference into Nghe An Province. The event saw the participation of Mr. Nguyen Duc Minh, Acting Ambassador of Vietnam to Japan, Mr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi, Secretary-General of the AJC, and numerous Japanese businesses and investors.

At the conference, Vice Chairman Bui Thanh An reiterated the province’s socio-economic situation, highlighting its potential, strengths, and attractive investment policies. He emphasized that Nghe An is gradually becoming one of the most appealing investment destinations in Vietnam, with a favorable investment environment, improving infrastructure, abundant and high-quality human resources, and preferential investment policies. Nghe An is undergoing significant transformation, with large-scale projects in processing and manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, and tourism. It is emerging as a “fertile ground” for Japanese investors seeking long-term and sustainable business opportunities.

He also expressed a strong desire to welcome investment from Japanese businesses, particularly in processing and manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, electronics, precision engineering, semiconductor technology, automotive, automotive parts, motorcycles, renewable energy, food and beverage processing industries, among others.

During the conference, the Japanese business community expressed considerable interest, with 12 pre-submitted questions and 6 direct questions at the event. The questions focused on investment attraction policies, industrial park infrastructure, logistics, labor recruitment and housing policies, administrative procedure reforms, and safety for investors in Nghe An. These inquiries were satisfactorily addressed by provincial leaders and infrastructure investors.

Representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan praised Nghe An's efforts to improve the investment environment and foster economic cooperation with Japan. They highlighted that in 2023, Japan-Vietnam bilateral trade reached nearly USD 45 billion, nearing pre-pandemic levels. Nghe An alone hosts 15 Japanese investment projects with a total capital of nearly USD 190 million, covering various sectors.

With support from the AJC, Japanese businesses have ample opportunities to access information, gain a deeper understanding of the investment environment in Nghe An, and receive the necessary support during the investment and business process in the province. At the conference, Japanese businesses were provided detailed information about investment projects and priority sectors in Nghe An, as well as special incentives for foreign investors.

Additionally, representatives from industrial parks (Hoang Mai, WHA, VSIP) introduced their infrastructure, environment, policies, and shared their experiences investing in the parks.

Japanese businesses showed keen interest in investment opportunities in Nghe An, particularly in processing industries, information technology, and clean agriculture. Many businesses expressed a desire to learn more and establish long-term cooperative relationships with the province.

The conference was not just an ordinary investment promotion event but a testament to Nghe An's tireless efforts to improve the investment environment and build strategic partnerships with Japanese businesses. Its success has created strong confidence, affirming that Nghe An is gradually emerging as an attractive destination for international investors, contributing to the province’s sustainable and globally integrated socio-economic development.

The conference also provided an opportunity for Japanese businesses and Nghe An leaders to discuss directly investment-related issues, such as procedures, support policies, and the business environment in the province. As a result, many concerns were addressed, paving the way for new, practical, and effective cooperation opportunities.

The 2024 Japanese Business Investment Promotion Conference into Nghe An Province, organized under the guidance of the Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Center, concluded successfully, opening a new chapter in the cooperation between Nghe An and Japan.

This event not only served as an opportunity to showcase the province's potential, strengths, and investment policies but also laid the groundwork for concrete cooperative projects, contributing to the province's socio-economic development in the near future.