The forerunner of the Japanese Business Association is the Japanese Commerce and Industry Agency of Ho Chi Minh City (JCIA), set up on April 1, 1994 with 69 members. Since September 28, 1998 it has been officially renamed the Japanese Business Association of Ho Chi Minh City (JBAH) with an initial 202 members (285 members in May of 2005).
JBAH operates in many fields such as foreign trade, construction, transportation, services, finance - insurance and industry. After more than 10 years, JBAH has brought about essential results thanks to the active contribution from nine sub-committees like investment promotion, human resources and life environment development programmes with four main tasks as follows:
Improving the trade and investment environment in Vietnam: JBAH has set up a Special Committee for implementing researches on the obstacles met by Japanese enterprises in four aspects: Public Administration, Employment, Banking & Tax System and Trading & Custom. After that, it has coordinated with the Vietnamese Government and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to hold meetings like the Vietnam - Japan Joint Economic Conference, Round table meetings and Vietnam Business Forum for discussion and finding solutions. Through that, it has improved the business environment and enhanced the competitiveness of Vietnam. JBAH still has the Investment Promotion Committee cooperating with 7 provinces and cities in the southern concentrated economic zone to negotiate investment conditions like business costs, investment policies, the development of supporting industries and joint investment promotions between provinces and cities. With such activities, JBAH has contributed to attracting more foreign direct investment to Vietnam.
In addition to the contribution to the development of Vietnam through the successful business of Japanese enterprises, JBAH has expanded its contribution through other social activities like giving scholarships to students, holding a contest on eloquence in Japanese as well as charitable activities. As for charity, JBAH provided US$197,784 and VND451.9 million (1996 – 2004) towards surgical operations for malformed children. JBAH has maintained and will increase its assistance in the future.
Improving the living conditions of the Japanese community: JBAH has supported to establish the Japanese School and Japanese Supplementary School for Japanese children in Vietnam. Through the Life Environment Committee, JBAH has provided many practical activities for enhancing community health.
Apart from that, JBAH has paid attention to strengthening the relationship between its members through meetings that exchange information on business and life in Vietnam.
Thanks to the assistance from the Japanese Consulate General to Ho Chi Minh City, JETRO and JICA as well as the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and neighbouring provinces, ITPC and VCCI, the operation of JBAH has brought about great advances in helping the Japanese community to create a happy life and successful business of in Vietnam.
JBAH is providing efforts to support and cooperate with all Japanese companies, who wish to develop business in Vietnam - a country with a wide-open door to WTO.
Vietnamese
