As many as 30 Japanese companies operating in Viet Nam and 200 Vietnamese enterprises will attend the event, which will for the first time be held simultaneously in two cities.— Photo infornet

HA NOI (Biz Hub)— Japan Information and Communication Technology Week (Japan ICT Week), which aims to strengthen the exchange of information and experience among IT businesses, will take place in Ha Noi and Da Nang City next Wednesday.

The annual event, previously known as "Japan ICT Day," will attract a record number of participants this year, organisers said.

As many as 30 Japanese companies operating in Viet Nam and 200 Vietnamese enterprises will attend the event, which will for the first time be held simultaneously in two cities.

"Viet Nam has surpassed India to become Japan's second biggest software partner after China," said Truong Gia Binh, chairman of the Viet Nam Software Association (Vinasa).

Binh, also chairman of FPT, Viet Nam's biggest software maker, said Viet Nam was currently Japan's favourite software partner.

"For FPT in particular, we consider Japan the most important country in our global business expansion," Binh added.

The week-long fair is one of several activities commemorating 40 years of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Japan.

It also includes seminars, partner meetings and visits to businesses and universities, as well as traditional cultural exchanges.

The annual event is co-organised by the Viet Nam Software Association (VINASA) and the Viet Nam-Japan Information Technology Cooperation Club (VJC) under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Japan Information Industry Association (JISA) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO)

By the end of 2012, Viet Nam had an IT contingent of more than 250,000. Developing high-quality human resources is one of the prerequisites for fostering long-term cooperation between Vietnamese and Japanese IT businesses.—VNS