Experts and officials from Japan and Vietnam gathered in Tokyo on Mar. 21 to discuss Japan ’s experience in the construction, management and operation of urban railway systems.

Addressing the workshop, Takashi Kitamura, Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, emphasised that a number of Japanese businesses and institutes are highly experienced in construction, management and operation of urban railway systems as well as training human resources for this sector.

Nguyen The Thao, Chairman of the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee, spoke of the Vietnamese capital city’s challenges, including traffic congestion.

He said Hanoi pays special attention to upgrading and building more infrastructure, particularly the construction of eight railway lines linking the city centre to satellite areas.

The city hopes to benefit from the experience of Japanese partners in this sector, Chairman Thao said.
Pham Tuan Son, Director of the Hanoi Metropolitan Rail Transport Project Management Board, presented the city’s plan on development of the urban railway system and answered questions from Japanese businesspeople on potential projects.

Japanese companies expressed wishes to cooperate with Hanoi in developing an urban railway system in the near future./.