According to the "Doing Business 2012" Report released by the World Bank (WB), Vietnam ranked only 98th out of 183 countries rated, but the Japanese investment wave into Vietnam intensified.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment said Vietnam has to date attracted 14,000 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total capital of over US$200 billion. Japan takes the lead with 700 projects. In the first seven months of 2012, the Southeast Asian nation drew 548 FDI projects worth US$8.03 billion. Japanese investors registered 55 projects capitalised at US$4.29 billion, accounting for 10.03 percent of projects and 53.4 percent of capital, becoming the biggest investor in Vietnam in the period.
Hiroshi Kurosaki, Representative Manager for JP Corelex Vietnam Company, said Vietnam remains an attractive destination for Japanese investors. Japanese investors are stepping up investment into high technology (processing technology), which is in line with Vietnam's FDI attraction direction.
As regards investment into resources and environment, Japan is now an important partner in improving the water environment and green technology in Vietnam. With its development experience and long strides in environmental protection, the Japanese government and expert organisations will cooperate with Vietnam to create the right solutions to enhance environmental protection in Vietnam. Japan’s cooperation and investment will ensure sustainable development in the international integration process, as well as cooperation with Vietnamese businesses.
Recently, Nguyen Minh Quang, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, received the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yukio Edano, and accompanying businesses on a working visit to Vietnam. The meeting aimed to strengthen cooperation between the two ministries and two governments in the resources and environment fields.
Currently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry have many efficient cooperation programmes and supports for Vietnam’s State management of natural resources and the environment. An official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said the ministry desired to strengthen cooperation with Japanese agencies in areas of mutual interest and cooperation potential. The two sides also support each other in bilateral and multilateral forums like APEC, ASEM and UN.
Minister Nguyen Minh Quang suggested the two parties should regularly exchange information, organise thematic working groups to consider, develop and implement specific cooperation activities.
On this occasion, Hanoi Urban Environment Company (URENCO) and Japanese company Hitachi Zosen signed a deal to put into action a pilot project to treat industrial waste at the Nam Son waste treatment complex in Soc Son district, Hanoi. Scheduled to be built from 2012 to 2014, the facility will have a daily capacity of treating 75 tonnes of industrial waste and the subsequent energy produced will be harnessed to generate power, estimated at 1,930 KWW.
Minister Yukio Edano affirmed that Japan fully supports Vietnam to become a developed industrialised country during which solving environmental problems is an extremely urgent task. The project is targeted at reducing waste in Hanoi by 30 percent and generating electricity for 4,500 households. He trusted that the project will help Hanoi and Vietnam in general to deal with waste problems and energy, thus contributing to sustainable development. He also vowed continued support for Vietnam in the environmental field.
Previously, under the support of the Japanese Government through JICA, the project "Capacity building for reviewing and building policies and measures to control water pollution, industrial water pollution control, raise environmental awareness for businesses and communities, and manage water information at central and local levels” has been implemented in Vietnam.
Do Ngoc
Vietnamese
