On Monday, Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman Phung Tan Viet played host to the Mayor of Seki City in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture, Mr Ozeki Kenji.

Vice Chairman Viet remarked that top priority has been given to boosting the development of local high quality services in combination with the building of a synchronous infrastructure system.  In addition, the city is effectively deploying the campaign ‘The City of 4 Safe Programmes’ which aims to ensure security, traffic safety, food safety and hygiene, and social welfare for local residents, and a project for making Da Nang an environmentally friendly, civilised and modern city.

Vice Chairman Viet (right) and Mayor Kenji

The host also emphasised, “Japan is now one of the city’s most important partners.  Therefore, even more favourable conditions have been created for Japanese businesses to operate effectively in the city.  In particular, the city’s Japanese Investors’ Association now has over 100 members’.

The city leader said he would like Mr Kenji to become actively involved in organising more bilateral cultural exchanges and calling for more businesses from his country to invest in Da Nang in the years ahead.  This will help strengthen bilateral fruitful friendship and cooperation between the 2 cities.

In addition, the host suggested that the Chubu Gakuin University should develop cooperative ties with the Da Nang Technical University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

In reply, Mr Kenji remarked that his city and Da Nang has many future cooperation potentials in opening direct flights connecting the 2 localities, their student exchange programmes, and promoting their tourism and service development.

On the same day, municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh also hosted a reception for representatives from the Japan New Business (JNB) organisation. Currently, JNB has over 3,500 business members in 47 Japanese provinces and cities.  The majority of them are start-ups, venture capital companies, and small and medium-sized businesses involved in such aspects as real estate, jewellery processing, high-tech agriculture and legal consultancy services.

During the reception, the Japanese investors said they are willing to work with local relevant agencies to accelerate their investment in the city.  They also said they would like the city authorities to assist them in developing human resources, especially in nursing, childcare, and information technology.

Vice Chairman Minh vowed that the Da Nang authorities will enhance the efficiency of the ‘one-stop-shop’ mechanism in order to facilitate Japanese businesses to effectively invest in the city.

In addition, the city authorities will work closely with local businesses and universities to develop human resources to meet the recruitment requirements of Japanese businesses.

By late April, Japan had poured a total of over 396 million USD into the city.  It had become the 5^th largest foreign investor in the city out of 38 countries and territories worldwide. 

The city is now appealing for more Japanese businesses to invest in such aspects as healthcare, education, and hi-tech, support and information technology industries.