On the morning of July 7, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee met with Okabe Mitsutoshi, Chief Representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Ho Chi Minh City, to discuss cooperation outcomes and investment attraction priorities for the coming period.
At the meeting, JETRO Chief Representative Okabe Mitsutoshi said JETRO conducted 576 meetings, business inquiries, and trade and investment promotion activities between Japanese companies and Ho Chi Minh City during the first six months of 2026.
JETRO also sponsored and co-organized the Supporting Industry Show (SIS 2026), held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 1 to July 4, which recorded thousands of direct business matching sessions between partners.
Regarding workforce development, the JETRO representative said the organization had completed a survey and promoted information about Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, to Japanese companies. JETRO also organized a job fair that attracted more than 400 students, aiming to provide high-quality human resources for businesses from both countries.
Speaking at the meeting, HCMC Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc praised JETRO's role and contributions in promoting trade, investment, and workforce development, saying its efforts have helped strengthen the Vietnam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as well as ties between Japan and Ho Chi Minh City.
The city Chairman expressed hope that JETRO would continue serving as a bridge to increase both the quantity and quality of trade and investment projects in the city while expanding cooperation in workforce development. He also called on JETRO to support Vietnamese businesses, including those in Ho Chi Minh City, in strengthening their capabilities to participate more deeply in Japan's global supply chains.
Sharing the city's development priorities, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc said Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating the development of additional high-tech industrial parks to attract high-quality foreign direct investment from Japan.
