On July 16, 2025, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) gave a lecture at the University of Economics and Business under Vietnam National University in Hanoi. The lecture covered topics such as the status of Japanese companies expanding into Vietnam, and their future business prospects and challenges, as well as JBIC’s activities in the country.
In the lecture, Mr. AGUIN Toru, Chief Advisor for Vietnam & ASEAN Regional Partnership, Chief Representative in Hanoi explained (1) Japanese companies’ views on Vietnam as a promising investment destination and the challenges they perceive; (2) trends in Japanese companies shifting production and procurement to Vietnam amid global supply chain changes; and (3) recent rising labor costs due to rapid economic growth and increased market entry by companies from neighboring countries, along with Japanese companies’ responses to these challenges, by referring to the results of the FY2024 JBIC Survey on Overseas Business Operations by Japanese Manufacturing Companies.
He pointed out that Vietnam is regarded as a reliable and stable destination by Japanese manufacturing companies seeking medium- to long-term business expansion. In the survey, Vietnam has placed second in the world for two consecutive years and has held the top position in ASEAN for six consecutive years. It also has remained within the top five globally for over 20 years.
Mr. AGUIN also introduced JBIC’s activities in Vietnam. Through financing for power infrastructure projects and Japanese manufacturing companies, JBIC has contributed to the expansion of Japanese investment in Vietnam and the country's economic growth. Additionally, it has supported Vietnam's decarbonization efforts through the promotion of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative. He cited the activities of the AZEC/GX Promotion Working Team, co-led by JBIC, as a concrete example of dynamic efforts on the ground. These include improving the energy investment environment through Japan-Vietnam public-private dialogue and accelerating the implementation of 15 joint projects with a total cost of USD20 billion.
The lecture attracted more than 70 Vietnamese students enrolled in the International Business and Economics course. During the Q&A session, there was lively discussion on topics such as “How can Vietnam maintain its appeal as an investment destination amid changes brought about by economic growth?” and “How are JBIC and Japanese companies working to improve the business environment in Vietnam?” Such active participation highlighted the students’ keen interest in these issues.
JBIC engages in policy dialogue with host country governments and industry, as well as in project development and research activities, leveraging its extensive local network of overseas offices, including in Vietnam, and continuously accumulates knowledge about each country and region. Based on the expertise, JBIC will continue to provide a wide range of information to support Japanese companies in their overseas business development, while actively contributing to the expansion of their global operations and the improvement of the investment environment.
