Japan remains the largest foreign investor in Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2012, according to the Foreign Investment Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Japanese companies poured 5.05 billion USD into Vietnam in the period, accounting for 41.5 percent of total foreign investment in the country.

The ten biggest Japanese projects alone have a combined investment capital of 3.1 billion USD, the department said.

According to the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), the number of Japanese companies investing in Vietnam has doubled over the past six years. The organization also noted the increase in the number of small- and medium-sized projects, especially those in the field of production.

Most recently, one more leading company from Japan, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd, has chosen Vietnam for its new plant. This is yet another sign of an emerging new wave of investment from Japan into the Southeast Asian nation.

According to the Executive Vice President and Director of Fuji Xerox Co, Ltd, Hitoshi Fujiwara, his company selected Vietnam because the country is advancing steadily in the industrialisation process. Another reason is that Vietnam has lots of industry-related strengths, such as an extensive transport network connecting with China and other ASEAN countries, facilitating the establishment of supply chain.-VNA