The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) held a seminar in Hanoi on Nov. 11 to help enterprises in the Japanese northern prefecture of Aichi to raise the efficiency of their operations in Vietnam .

MPI Deputy Minister Dang Huy Dong said that investment structures of Japan and Vietnam focus on industry and electronics, a suitable focus given Japan ’s potential and Vietnam ’s policy on investment attraction.

Etsuo Ogawa, Aichi Deputy Governor, said Japanese investors in Vietnam have concerns on policies to improve the road systems and the shortage of workers.

Japan now has 1,262 valid projects in Vietnam with a combined registered capital of over 20.5 billion USD, emerging as one of leading foreign investors in Vietnam .

Japanese direct investment is poured mainly into processing and manufacturing industries, with an investment capital of 18 billion USD or 52.6 percent of the total foreign investment capital in these fields.

Japan ’s successful projects in Vietnam include Canon Vietnam Co. Ltd, to produce inkjet printers with an investment capital of 76.7 million USD and Toyota Vietnam Co. to assemble automobiles with investment capital of 89 million USD.

The Aichi assistance office was set up in 2008 between the MPI and Aichi authorities to boost economic and investment exchanges between the two sides. Since then, the office has operated effectively in providing Aichi businesses with information and new policies relating to investment and business and support them in solving any difficulties./.