Inauguration of the Japanese Consulate-General in Đà Nẵng. — Photo courtesy of Trung Châu

ĐÀ NẴNG — Japan officially introduced its Consulate Office in Đà Nẵng City to the Consulate- General after two years of establishment to boost trade, tourism, investment and relationship ties with the central city and entire central region.

Head of the Japanese General Consulate, Yakabe Yoshinori, said the promotion proved a positive move and that the government of Japan appreciates the important role of Đà Nẵng.

Đà Nẵng was important to Japan’s diplomatic and economic policy as it is an entrance to the East Sea and an excellent connection to the East-West Economic Corridors that link Việt Nam, Laos and Myanmar as well as the southern economic corridor, he said.

Children play in a yard of the Japanese-styled Selfwng V-Kid Kindergarten in Đà Nẵng. Japan and Đà Nẵng promoted education, human resources, tourism and investment cooperation. — Photo courtesy of Selfwing V-Kid

He said establishing a Consulate-General would take five to six years, but the process was sped up to only two years.

He said the relationship between Japan and Đà Nẵng would be further strengthened in the coming time, and the number of Japanese tourists and investors to Đà Nẵng would increase.

At the inauguration ceremony on August 26, Usuda Reiko, a Japanese expat living in Hội An, received awards from Japanese foreign ministers for her contributions to Việt Nam-Japan friendship.

Đà Nẵng was seen as the first city in central Việt Nam to promote cooperation with Japanese partners in high-quality human resources training.

Japanese businesses have recruited another 450 students from Đà Nẵng-based Đông Á University to work and study in Japan between 2021-22, while more than 2,000 students have been studying Japanese at the university to serve the Japanese labour market.

The first Japanese language studies and culture research centre in the central and Central Highlands region was founded at the university.

Đà Nẵng has offered favourable conditions for Japanese investors by launching the Japanese Desk at the city’s administrative centre to support procedures, investment licensing regulations, policies and other issues.

The central city and neighbouring provinces are a second home to 440 Japanese people, and 60 Japanese restaurants were built in Đà Nẵng.

300 Japanese businesses were operating in Đà Nẵng with a total investment of US$932 million, creating 40,000 jobs for local and neighbouring provinces. — VNS