HCM CITY — Japan’s Hokkaido Prefecture is planning to launch direct air services to HCM City next year to promote tourism and trade, its deputy governor, Yasuhiro Tsuji, said at a meeting with HCM City authorities last Friday.

Around 5,000 Vietnamese live and work in Japan’s northernmost prefecture, he said.

Nguyễn Thành Phong, chairman of the city People’s Committee, said there is potential for tourism co-operation between the two localities.

HCM City received 5.1 million foreign tourists in January-October this year, 292,000 of them from Japan. — VNS