According to Commercial Counsellor to Japan Nguyen Trung Dung, cooperation in agro-fisheries has significantly contributed to the economic development in the two countries. — Photo vaas.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub)  — Nearly 100 Japanese businesses congregated on Tuesday at a forum in Chiba prefecture, Japan, to exchange success stories and experiences related to investing in agriculture and fisheries in Viet Nam.

The event was jointly organized by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan in a bid to also create partnership opportunities for the 13 participating Vietnamese companies.

According to Commercial Counsellor to Japan Nguyen Trung Dung, cooperation in agro-fisheries has significantly contributed to the economic development in the two countries.

Apart from the traditional realms, such as the manufacturing industry and trade, the Japanese firms can be potential investors in Viet Nam's agro-fisheries, he stated, adding that the partnership in the field will be a win-win situation for both nations.

Deputy General Secretary of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers To Thi Tuong Lan, emphasized that even though Japan is Viet Nam's third-largest seafood exporter, capturing 7.8 per cent of the country's market share, the Southeast Asian country ranked eighth among Japan's seafood providers with 9 per cent share in 2012.

Between 1993 and 2011, Japan remained the single largest import market of Viet Nam's seafood, accounting for an average of 26 per cent.

In addition to fisheries, Vietnamese fruits, such as mango, durian, grapefruit, and dragon fruit, are also seeking ways to enter the Japanese market, where the market requirements are particularly stringent.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, the director of Vegetexco, noted that last year, Viet Nam shipped 1,000 tonnes of dragon fruit to Japan, suggesting that Vietnamese businesses were paying more attention towards improving the quality of their products.

At the forum, a representative of Yasaka, a Japanese firm operating in Viet Nam for the past two decades, affirmed the significance of the transfer of technical expertise in the preservation of fruits and other farm produce, stating that this is the key for Vietnamese fruit exporters to conquer the Japanese market. — VNS