Akihiko Tanaka, President of JICA, visited Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s second-largest economic hub, from June 8 to 12. He held meetings with key Vietnamese government officials, including Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and the Minister of Finance, both members of the new administration that took office this past April, and exchanged views on Japan-Vietnam cooperation aimed at supporting Vietnam’s goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045. He also took a ride on Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1, which was completed with the support of yen loans.
Chairman Tanaka (left) shaking hands with Prime Minister Phung (right) at the Office of the Prime Minister of Vietnam
During his meeting with Prime Minister Hun, Chairman Tanaka conveyed JICA’s intention to promote cooperation in the following four areas: (1) science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation; (2) corporate growth and expanded participation in global value chains; (3) the investment environment; and (4) strategic infrastructure. He expressed support for the direction of the reforms being pursued by the Vietnamese government and stated his intention to explore and implement comprehensive and strategic cooperation focused on the four pillars mentioned above. Furthermore, noting that Prime Minister Phung is an alumnus of the Graduate School of Policy Studies (GRIPS) (formerly the Graduate School of Saitama University), I offered my congratulations on his appointment as Prime Minister, citing my own past connection as the former president of that graduate school, and expressed my expectations for him to lead Vietnam’s economic development.
Prime Minister Hun expressed his gratitude for JICA’s cooperation to date and outlined JICA’s comprehensive support aimed at contributing to the country’s goal of double-digit economic growth. He also expressed his expectations for future development cooperation, particularly in the fields of science and technology—including digital transformation (DX)—as well as human resource development and infrastructure development.
A scene from the meeting between Chairman Tanaka and Prime Minister Hun
Chairman Tanaka also took a ride on Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1, which opened in December 2024 through a yen loan project. Commenting on the metro line—which features Vietnam’s first underground section—he said, “Including the elaborately designed station buildings, I was impressed by how it is a world-class metro system, and it was a very high-quality ride.”
Chairman Tanaka rides the Ho Chi Minh City Metro—which was constructed with Japanese yen loans—alongside the president of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Rail Corporation (HURC1)
At the Japan-Vietnam Summit held in May of this year, the governments of Japan and Vietnam confirmed that, under the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” they would advance cooperation in new priority areas of economic security, including energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and space. As an ODA implementing agency, JICA will continue to contribute to Vietnam’s economic growth and the deepening of Japan-Vietnam cooperation.
© Source JICA