Investment service Japan Desk established in south

September 26, 2014 | 16:00

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Japan Desk, a service to assist current and potential Japanese investors in Vietnam, was officially launched in Ho Chi Minh City on September 25, aiming to attract more Japanese investment into the 21 cities and provinces in the south of Vietnam.

“Vietnam highly values Japanese investors for their seriousness and stable investment,” said Do Nhat Hoang, head of the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

The service, already launched in Hanoi and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province by the FIA and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), facilitates information exchange between Japanese firms and government agencies and local authorities.

Specifically, the Japan Desk in the south of Vietnam will have a website in Vietnamese and Japanese so Japanese firms can get updated information on Vietnam’s business environment and regulations. Firms can also email in their proposals and suggestions, which the service will then forward to Vietnamese authorities to serve in the making of policies that promote Japanese investment in Vietnam.

The service has had some success in Hanoi and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Previously, through the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan Desk, Japanese firms made known their opinion on Circular 20/2014/TT-BKHCN on the import of used machinery and equipment, that was to take effect September 1 this year.

They said the circular is going to frustrate the long-term investment plans of operating firms and affect the coming investment inflow from Japan to Vietnam. Authorities then submitted the feedback to the government and eventually at the end of August the Ministry of Science and Technology issued a decision to abort the circular.

Meanwhile, the Japan desk in Ba Ria-Vung Tau contributed to the establishment of a Japanese industrial park, in which many Japanese firms are preparing to invest.

By By Hong Son

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