Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái receives Executive Vice President of Idemitsu Sakai Noriaki. - VNA/VNS Photo

TOKYO – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái on May 25 received leaders of Japan’s Gunma Prefecture, Idemitsu Group, and Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd. (MOECO), as part of his trip to Japan to attend the 29th Future of Asia Forum in Tokyo.

Receiving Governor of Gunma Yamamoto Ichita, Khai encouraged the prefecture to continue promoting investment made by its business community in Vietnam, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, and tourism.

He suggested Gunma collaborate with Vietnamese localities, including the northern province of Ha Nam, engage in joint human resource training projects, expand acceptance of Vietnamese apprentices and workers, and support nearly 15,000 Vietnamese living, studying, and working in the prefecture.

For his part, the governor said that Gunma has the highest proportion of Vietnamese residents among Japanese prefectures and praised their contributions to the local economy and society.

He pledged to advance related commitments, memoranda of understanding, and cooperation agreements to strengthen the prefecture’s friendly and cooperative relations with Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities.

Investment from Gunma businesses in Vietnam currently exceeds 8 billion JPY (approximately US$60 million). As planned, the governor will lead a business delegation to Vietnam this year, with a focus on the country’s IT and digital transformation areas.

At his meeting with Executive Vice President of Idemitsu Sakai Noriaki, the Deputy PM commended the group’s investment and cooperation efforts in Vietnam, particularly its role in the Nghi Son refinery and petrochemical (NSRP) project.

He encouraged Idemitsu to expand its business activities in Vietnam, especially in energy transition and technology transfer to help Vietnamese enterprises integrate more deeply into regional and global supply chains.

The Japanese business leader stated that Vietnam is Idemitsu’s largest investment destination globally, with ventures in seven fields. He confirmed that the group will continue to expand its operations in the country and work closely with the National Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam) and other stakeholders to ensure the effective and stable operation of the NSRP project, benefiting all parties involved.

At his meeting with MOECO President and CEO Harada Hidenori, the Deputy PM urged the company to scale up its capital channeled into Vietnam to match its financial capacity and technological expertise. He also called for increased cooperation and technology transfer.

Expressing his satisfaction with MOECO’s involvement in big energy projects in Vietnam, such as the Block B - O Mon gas project and the O Mon 3 thermal power plant, Harada assured that MOECO will continue to team up with Petrovietnam and relevant ministries to expedite the projects, ensuring their timely, high-quality, and effective completions. - VNS