Japanese Business Invests in Vietnamese Handicrafts

3:26:42 PM | 7/8/2005

Japanese Business Invests in Vietnamese Handicrafts

The largest handicraft production center in Southeast Asia is currently under construction in

Vietnam

's World Heritage-site Hoi An town with Japanese investment of US$3.5 million.

The Hoi An-Okinawa Cultural and Fine Arts Center will turn out a wide variety of handicrafts including Japanese sedge mats, jewelry, ceramics, glassware and Samishen three-string banjos, said Kinjo Yukiyasu, general director of Hoi An-Okinawa Company - the project investor.

The center, located in central Quang Nam province, will start operation later this year and earmark 80 per cent of its output for export to earn some US$60 million a year.

About 150 local craftsmen from traditional craft villages will be recruited to work at the center.

Vietnam has set an ambitious target to earn a total of US$500 million from handicraft exports in 2005.

Exports to Japan are expected to reach US$75 million in 2005 and increase to US$220 million in the next five years.