Tokyo (VNA) – Vietnam Software & IT Services Association (VINASA) proposed three major initiatives to the Vietnam–Japan ICT business community to realise the vision of “Co-creating the Digital Future” at the 12th Vietnam IT Day 2025 that took place in Japan on August 28.
VINASA and Vietnamese Association of Digital Transformation in Japan (VADX), in partnership with Japan Information Technology Services Industry Association (JISA) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), would establish the Vietnam–Japan Digital Innovation Hubs. These centres would serve as collaborative R&D and commercialisation spaces for “Made by Vietnam–Japan” technology products in key sectors such as automotive, finance, and health care.
This alliance would bring together Vietnamese and Japanese companies with complementary strengths to design solutions and bid for digital transformation projects in third markets, including ASEAN, the US, and Europe. The initiative aims to build a shared Vietnam–Japan technology brand with global reach.
Regarding the next-generation tech talent incubator initiative, VINASA plans to work with leading Vietnamese universities and Japanese technology corporations to launch specialised training programmes tailored to strategic fields such as semiconductor design, AI in manufacturing, and green technologies. This would secure a high-quality workforce to sustain future collaboration.
VINASA Chairman Nguyen Van Khoa stressed that Vietnamese enterprises are not only ready but already delivering complex digital transformation and AI solutions for leading Japanese corporations in finance, retail, and logistics. He underlined the shared commitment of both governments to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, noting that legacy system modernisation offers a prime opportunity to integrate green technologies.
Vietnamese ICT firms are well-prepared with solutions for energy optimisation and carbon measurement, particularly in the automotive sector, enabling joint leadership in sustainable manufacturing, Khoa said.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui Hoang Phuong identified four key areas for closer cooperation. These include expanding strategic partnerships in digital services and product development, and joint R&D and investment in labs focusing on strategic technologies such as AI and semiconductors. Other areas include connecting Vietnamese startups with Japanese supply chains and pilot projects, and enhanced training and personnel exchanges.
The 12th Vietnam IT Day 2025 drew more than 200 participants from over 150 Japanese companies and 12 Vietnamese firms. The event, organised by the VINASA, was held under the auspices of Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with JISA, JETRO, the Vietnam–Japan IT Cooperation Committee (VJC), and the VADX.
Despite global uncertainty, Vietnam–Japan economic relations remain robust. Two-way trade reached 46.23 billion USD in 2024, with Vietnam enjoying a trade surplus. Japan is also one of Vietnam’s largest investors, with more than 5,500 projects worth 78.6 billion USD as of March 2025.
JETRO surveys show that over 60% of Japanese businesses in Vietnam plan to expand operations within two years, while about 51% expect to increase local procurement of products and services. Vietnamese ICT enterprises, which now account for 6-7% of Japan’s software outsourcing market worth more than 30 billion USD annually, are moving beyond traditional subcontracting to cover the full lifecycle of product development, including R&D, system architecture, and digital modernisation in areas such as cloud computing, AI, blockchain, and extended reality.
Vietnam has become Japan’s second-largest software development partner, with over 300 Vietnamese ICT firms engaged in the market, more than 100 of which maintain offices in Japan./.
