Local cooperation: A solid foundation for Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Mr. Ngo Trinh Ha (left) met with the President of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) Shingo Torii on August 8, 2023. (Photo: Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka)

In terms of quantity, the two countries have been actively cooperating in a number of fields, such as economics, politics, defense, security, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, etc. Most importantly, the quality of the cooperation between the two countries in all sectors is increasingly deepening, demonstrated through specific, practical collaboration that meets the needs and benefits of both sides.

At the same time, entities participating in cooperation are expanded to every "cell" of the two countries' societies, including the central government, local governments, organizations, businesses, and unions of the people of the two countries.

Local cooperation between the two countries is gradually becoming a pillar and an essential factor in this bilateral relationship. In recent years, regional collaboration has gained many significant achievements, promoting both countries' socio-economic development.

For Vietnam, local cooperation with Japan has helped Vietnam develop economically, improve its quality of life, and integrate more profoundly with the world economy. For Japan, regional collaboration with Vietnam has helped it expand its market, find abundant raw materials and labor sources, and contribute to promoting peace and stability in Southeast Asia.

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka oversees part of the Kansai area. This is the Midwestern region of Honshu Island, including seven prefectures: Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Kyoto, Wakayama, Shiga, and Mie. Since ancient times, this has been a dynamic economic, political, and cultural development area of Japan with two ancient capitals, Nara and Kyoto.

Currently, this continues to be a significant economic area in Japan. Up to now, along with the local efforts of the two countries and the paving the way of representative agencies, including the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka, the two countries have signed more than 70 documents, of which all Localities within the Consulate General's consular area all have cooperation agreements, typically such as Osaka with Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hai Phong, Kyoto with Da Nang, Thua Thien Hue, Hyogo with Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Nara with Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Mie with Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Shiga with Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Wakayama with Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, etc.

The Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka is always positively and proactively accompanied localities to develop initiatives and propose specific cooperation for both sides to implement together, achieving encouraging results in cooperation between the two countries. The total investment capital of Kansai provinces in Vietnam has reached more than 10 billion USD, focusing mainly on machinery and equipment manufacturing, automobiles, trade, and services. Kansai provinces have great potential for investment in Vietnam, especially in high technology, supporting industries, and services.

Vietnamese Consul General in Osaka Ngo Trinh Ha (scond from right) attended the farewell ceremony of the Settsu patrol ship of the Coast Guard Region 5, Japan, on its way to visit Vietnam in January 2023. (Photo: Consul General of Vietnam in Osaka)

Vietnam creates favorable conditions for Japanese investors, such as improving the investment environment and the quality of human resources. Regarding trade, according to Japanese customs, Japan's export turnover is calculated separately. Vietnam to the Kansai region in October 2022 reached 0.59 billion USD, and the total for the ten months of 2022 reached 5.09 billion USD, an increase of 31.5% over the same period in 2021.

Exports from Vietnam are mainly the product groups such as textiles and garments; means of transport and machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts; Seafood; wood products; seafood; electronic products and components; Phones and components; footwear. Meanwhile, Vietnam imports mainly products from Japan: computers, electronic goods, and components; phones and components; machinery, equipment, tools, spare parts; gasoline and oil of all kinds; fabric; base metals, etc. Regarding education and training, cooperative activities focus on exchanging teachers and students, strengthening cooperation between universities, and organizing seminars and conferences on education.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, as of September 2022, more than 15,000 Vietnamese international students are studying in Kansai provinces; the most significant number is in Osaka province, with more than 8,000 people, followed by Kyoto province (more than 3,000 students) and Hyogo Prefecture (more than 2,000 students). This is expected to be a high-quality human resource that will contribute positively to bilateral relations in the future. Medical cooperation has also been a bright spot recently. Japan has supported Vietnam in building and upgrading medical facilities.

On the contrary, Vietnamese workers in the nursing industry in Japan have partly contributed to solving the shortage of human resources in this industry and the social reality of Japan's aging population. According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, as of September 2022, about 20,000 Vietnamese people work in the nursing industry in Japan. Of these, about 10,000 people are working in the Kansai area.

In the first half of 2023, the Consulate General successfully promoted cooperation between Dong A University of Da Nang and Osaka Prefecture in human resource training in nursing. Activities commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan have recently been vigorously implemented. The Consulate General presided over the organization of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Concert with the participation of 1,500 Vietnamese and Japanese guests (April 2023), organizing the first Vietnam Festival in Osaka, attracting more than 100,000 visitors (June 2023) and in July supported Bac Giang province to promote lychee fruit.

In the coming time, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka will continue to promote cooperation between localities of the two countries, especially in the economic field; will accompany ministries, branches, localities, and relevant agencies, businesses, and organizations to ensure practical and effective implementation of agreements signed with Japanese localities as well as research, stepping up to find new areas of cooperation of mutual interest and benefit. With existing potentials and advantages, I hope the local collaboration between the two countries will further promote joint economic and social development while enhancing understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, Vietnam and Japan.

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