Low quality in the export trade, lack of business information and failure to master cultural business skills of the Japanese market are three major obstacles Vietnamese exporters try to overcome in order to conquer Asia ’s biggest economy.

The deputy head of the Industry and Trade Ministry’s Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Le Quang Lan advised exporters that quality is a must to conduct business with Japan during a workshop held in Hanoi on December 21 regarding the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA).

He said some shipments from Vietnam were refused due to poor quality have marred the image of many other enterprises in their effort to conduct business in Japan. He also advised Vietnamese novices not to go directly into the Japanese market but to go through other domestic players who have experienced firm repute in this high-demand market.

“It is because Japanese businesses keep close relations with each other,” Lan said.

Lan also explained that under the agreement, exports from the two countries into each other’s market enjoy preferential tariff duties.

Right in the first year, 86 percent of Vietnamese products are given the tariff rate of zero percent. The rate will be applicable to other items on a roadmap of between 10 and 15 years. Apparels and seafood from Vietnam into Japan are no exception, enjoying a heft of incentives.

Japan is to build a quarantine centre in Vietnam to check the quality of its products and is considering a project on personnel training in Japan for Vietnamese medical workers and business executives.

The VJEPA was signed in December 2008 and came into force on October 1, 2009./.