Japanese experts tackle Hanoi’s chaotic traffic

Hanoi (VNA) – Experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) helped to train journalists from the Hanoi Traffic Culture Communication Club on Nov. 19, as part of a project promoting traffic safety in the city.

The club, the first of its kind in Vietnam , has been established in order to improve awareness of traffic safety among the city’s residents and authorities, said Takagi Michimasa, JICA’s chief consultant in Vietnam .

In October of this year, a JICA team visited the Hoan Kiem district of Hanoi city, and conducted an experiment in which volunteers, with the help of the police and traffic officers, instructed passengers with regard to road safety and gave them information on how to conform to the nation’s traffic laws, thus increasing their awareness of these issues when travelling on the city’s roads.-

Japanese logistics firm opens hub in Viet Nam

HA NOI — Japanese-invested logistics firm Yusen Viet Nam put its international entrepot into operation on Monday, in a bid to meet increasing demands for logistics services in Viet Nam.

The US$2.3 million entrepot is located in Ha Noi’s neighbouring province of Hai Duong, which provides easier access to the Hai Phong seaport and Noi Bai airport.

“The operation of the international entrepot will not only meet increasing demands for logistics services in Viet Nam, but also function as a logistics hub in the region, linking with China, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos,” said Yusen Viet Nam’s general director Tetsuro Tsuzuki.

Tetsuro said that although Viet Nam and the global economy were experiencing financial challenges, demand for logistics services was still booming following the ongoing foreign investment hike in the country.

“One of the most important factors that makes Viet Nam attractive in the eyes of foreign investors is cheap operation costs, even compared to China,” he added. —

Deputy PM: Vietnam wants more Japanese aid

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam would like to receive more assistance from the Japanese Government in areas such as infrastructure, personnel training and completion of the legal system and administrative reform, said Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Deputy PM Hung made this statement while receiving the chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Economic Commission, Kato Susumu, in Hanoi on Nov. 12.

He said as the global financial crisis poses an increasing number of difficulties, tightening cooperation between the two countries in numerous fields is necessary.

He expressed his belief that, on the basis of past achievements, the second phase of the Plan of Action on the Japan-Vietnam Joint Initiative will obtain greater success in boosting mutual understanding and the fine relationship enjoyed by the two nations.

Kato Susumu expressed his sympathy over the recent difficulties faced by the Vietnamese people as a result of recent floods.

He praised Vietnam ’s efforts in controlling inflation and stabilising the macro-economy and requested the Vietnamese Government to focus its attention on speeding up the rate of construction work at power plants.-

Japanese culture imprinted in Vietnam’s daily life

Hanoi (VNA) – Some Japanese cultural values, such as karaoke and comic strips have integrated into the daily life of Vietnamese people, contributing to diversifying Vietnamese contemporary culture, said Dr. Pham Hong Thai from the Institute for Northeast Asian Studies under Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences.

At a workshop on Vietnam-Japan relations in the context of Northeast regional integration held in Hanoi on Nov. 7, Dr. Thai said Vietnam has acquired certain Japanese experiences in preserving and promoting its traditional cultural values.

Vietnam and Japan have seen interruptions in their relations development which are attributed to the ups and downs in their histories.

Since the normalisation of relations in 1992, the two countries’ cooperation have developed in various fields, including political, economic and cultural, particularly in human resources development.

Over the past five years, Japan has become a an important destination for numerous Vietnamese trainees, including students and scientists.

The two countries are seeking new ways to boost cooperation in this domain.

Economic cooperation has been expanded in various sectors, including tourism, aviation, insurance, finance and banking, science and technology, telecommunications, environment protection and hunger eradication.
The workshop is part of activities to mark the 35 th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.-

Japanese diplomat’s visit to strengthen ties with Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) – Chairman of the Vietnam-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Union Ho Duc Viet expressed his hope that the visit to Vietnam by Sugi Ryotaro, the Vietnam-Japan Special Friendship Ambassador, will contribute to promoting the two countries’ friendship and cooperation.

The chairman made this statement while receiving the Japanese diplomat in Hanoi on Nov. 6.

He emphasised that Vietnam hopes to build a strategic partnership and sign bilateral agreements with Japan , as well as continue to implement a number of signed agreements.

He lauded the Japanese ambassador’s initiatives to organise forums relating to industrial development and the promotion and advertisement of industrial and handicraft products.

The Japanese ambassador expressed his pleasure at the success of the recent Vietnam Festival in Japan , which introduced an exhibition of a range of images of Vietnam to the Japanese people.

He expressed his hope to contribute even more to developing the cooperation and friendship between the two nations.-

ASEAN, Japanese officials discuss future cooperation

Vientiane (VNA) – Senior officials from Southeast Asian countries and Japan gathered in the Lao province of Luang Prabang for two forums on bilateral cooperation, held on October 14-16.

The 24th ASEAN-Japan forum reviewed cooperation between the ten-member group and Japan over the past three decades and offered suggestions for future cooperation.

Meanwhile, the third ASEAN-Japan counter-terrorism dialogue forum is reviewing cooperation between the two sides in counter-terrorism measures in the region and evaluating the threat of terrorism. The forum is expected to adopt a series of future cooperation projects between ASEAN members and Japan.

ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-

Japanese PM Taro Aso forms new cabinet

Tokyo (VNA) – Right after being named as Japan ’s prime minister to succeed Yasuo Fukuda, Taro Aso formed a new cabinet on September 24, highlighting his giving priority to the economy ahead of widely expected general election.

Of the 17 members of the new cabinet, Aso reappointed five ministers from Fukuda’s cabinet.

At a press conference following the announcement, Aso said that he appointed the right people to the right place in his cabinet.

”My mission is to make Japan a bright and strong country. I will stand up to difficult issues by drawing on all my experience,” the new prime minister was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.

After launching his Cabinet, Aso is scheduled to deliver a speech at the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York . He will make a policy speech to the Japanese parliament on September 29 and take questions from party representatives, Kyodo News said.-

Japanese firm opens second VN factory

DONG NAI — Japanese company Ajinomoto yesterday opened its second factory in the country at the Long Thanh Industrial Park in Dong Nai Province.

The company has invested US$11 million in the factory, including $1 million in a waste water treatment plant from which treated water will be taken for further processing at the industrial park’s common facility.

The new factory would produce Aji-ngon flavour seasoning at first, and later add liquid seasoning products like soya sauce, vinegar and mayonnaise under the LISA brand, said Ajinomoto Viet Nam general director Takashi Miyama.

The new facility will help increase the company’s Aji-ngon seasoning production capacity to 15,000 tonnes annually.

The company plans to develop a 2-ha distribution centre inside the 9-ha factory compound.

“We purchase main materials from within the country, and also care about the environment. We were granted the Green Brand prize by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment last June,” said Norio Yamaguchi, president of Ajinomoto Group.

Ajinomoto Viet Nam was established in 1991 with its first factory in the Bien Hoa Industrial Park 1, also in Dong Nai Province. The first factory’s products include MSG, seasonings, soya sauce and Ami-Ami biological organic fertiliser. —

Vietnam still attractive to Japanese businesses

President of the Japanese Kansai Economic Federation (KANKEIREN) Hiroshi Shimozuma expressed his belief that Vietnam remained an attractive destination for Japanese businesses as the country had a plentiful young human resource and stable socio-economic situation.

Hiroshi Shimozuma made the statement at the opening ceremony of the Vietnam-Japan Economic Forum in Osaka on Sept. 17.

He said that KANKEIREN would pay more attention to human resource development in Vietnam and create more favourable conditions for businesses of the two countries to boost cooperation.

Addressing the forum, Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto praised rapid development of Vietnamese economy and the effective cooperation between the two countries, especially between Kansai region and Vietnamese localities. He affirmed that Vietnam was the most important partner of Osaka and in the future, cooperation between the two sides would be boosted.

For his part, Ho Duc Viet, Politburo member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, who is on a visit to Japan, highly appreciated Japanese enduring and effective assistance to Vietnam, particularly in development of transport infrastructure, energy, telecom, education and training.

Viet stated that Japanese-supported projects had effectively help socio-economic development and poverty reduction in Vietnam.

As the two countries are in negotiation process to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Vietnamese and Japanese markets are open wide to businesses from both countries, Viet said.

Vietnamese Science and Technology Minister Hoang Van Phong introduced Kansai businesses about Vietnam’s economic situation and its prospect.

He said that the current difficulties of Vietnam’s economy were temporary and would be solved soon so that they would not affect the investment environment.

Phong expressed his hope that with potential in technology, finance and marketing, Kansai would give many opportunities and benefits to the two countries.

At addressing the forum, President of the Asia-Pacific Human Resource Exchange Centre Yoshikuni Inoue informed that the centre attached importance to training intermediate-level managers in Asian countries, including Vietnam.

The centre receives about 100 Vietnamese people for training a year and has so far provided training to 1,400 Vietnamese people.

The centre’s head expressed his wish that his centre would expand cooperation training programmes with Vietnam.

Earlier the same day, a seminar on IT development in Vietnam and another on Kansai economy were also held in Osaka.-

Japanese government resigns for reshuffle

– The Japanese government on August 1 resigned, paving the way for a reshuffle by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

PM Fukuda convened the cabinet for a brief meeting at which all of the cabinet’s ministers handed over letters of resignation, Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said.

PM Fukuda also named former Foreign Minister Taro Aso as the new secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. –