In a sign of growing ties between Da Nang and Japan, this school year, a Japanese-led kindergarten, will open its doors to children ages 1 to 6 in the city.

The kindergarten, COHAS Da Nang, or Smile School, is located on Ly Thuong Kiet

The kindergarten, COHAS Da Nang, or Smile School, was built by the Japanese JP Holdings Group with a total investment of 300,000 USD. It will enroll 200 children in total, and provide education programmes in English, physical training and music and Japanese culture.

The President of JP Holdings Group, Mr Ogita Kazuhiro, said it’s also his group’s first kindergarten project in Southeast Asia and Viet Nam.

He said the project would help to promote the socio-economic development in Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole, by offering a high quality education at kindergarten level.

The project will be enrolled in 3 phases between 2017-2019, and provide education facilities for a total of 600 kids with an international education standard.

JP Holdings focuses on investment in high quality education. It has developed a total of 220 education projects to date.

The Japanese language has been taught at some junior high schools according to the city’s foreign language teaching programme in the 2012-2020 period.

Last year, Leave a Nest, an education organisation from Japan, in collaboration with the Self Wing Viet Nam Company, began a pilot project on nature research education for pupils at junior high schools in Da Nang.

The city is now home to 160 Japanese investors and 37 representatives with a total investment of 500 million USD.

The Route Inn Group from Japan is also developing a coastal resort, the first of its kind in Viet Nam, with a total investment of 18 million USD.

A direct air route connecting Da Nang with Japan's Narita was opened in 2014 with 7 flights a week, and a direct Da Nang-Osaka route has been already operated with 4 flights a week.

In a recent meeting with the city’s leaders, the newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam, Mr Umeda Kunio, said Japan plans to open a Consulate Office in Da Nang as a way of boosting bilateral tourism and exchange with the city in future years.

(Source: VNS/ DA NANG Today)