Permanent Deputy FM Nguyen Minh Vu urges Idemitsu Kosan to expand green energy investment in Vietnam
WVR - On the afternoon of June 12, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu received Representative Director and Executive Vice President of Idemitsu Kosan Atsuhiko Hirano.
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| Overview of the meeting. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
During the meeting, Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu welcomed Mr. Hirano's visit to Vietnam at a special time when the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is becoming increasingly substantive across all fields with high political trust. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae recently had a very successful visit to Vietnam (May 2026), agreeing with Vietnamese leaders to deepen the bilateral relationship.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu appreciated Idemitsu Kosan Co Ltd (IKC) efforts in investment and cooperation activities in Vietnam over the years, especially as a shareholder in the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex (NSRP) Project. He suggested continuing to expand investment activities, particularly in the green energy sector, including replicating the Idemitsu green energy pellet production model in various localities in Vietnam.
Mr. Hirano noted that amid the energy crisis due to the situation in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries lack oil reserves and crude oil supply is limited. Strengthening energy cooperation is crucial. He affirmed continued efforts to ensure crude oil supply for the Nghi Son Refinery project and expand investment in Vietnam's energy sector, including green energy and producing refined products from crude oil.
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| Mr. Atsuhiko Hirano, Representative Director and Vice President of Idemitsu Kosan Company, speaking at the meeting. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Expressing delight at the positive progress of the Nghi Son Refinery, where the immediate crude oil supply has been secured, allowing the refinery to operate at 100% capacity and start making profits in the first quarter of 2026, Mr. Hirano thanked the attention and support from the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He committed to continuing efforts in efficient operation, ensuring crude oil supply, and generating profits for all parties involved.
Emphasizing that the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex project is one of the key economic cooperation projects between the two countries, crucial for ensuring Vietnam's national energy security and receiving attention from senior leaders of both nations, especially with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's commitment to arranging crude oil supply for the refinery under the Power Asia initiative, Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu urged Idemitsu Kosan to continue closely coordinating with shareholders to support crude oil supply, ensuring stable operations, enhancing cost control, optimizing cash flow, and developing the project's value chain.
