Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (r) receives Yoichi Kobayashi, chairman of the Japan-Mekong Business Co-operation Committee in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has welcomed an initiative put forward by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) to shift Japanese investment from other countries to Việt Nam and Mekong River nations.

At a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday for Yoichi Kobayashi, chairman of the Japan-Mekong Business Co-operation Committee, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the contributions the committee had made to promoting economic exchanges between Việt Nam and Japan through fact-finding tours to study Việt Nam’s policies, the organisation of workshops and recommendations to improve the nation’s investment climate.

He asked the JCCI to continue sending business delegations in the fields of agriculture, support industries, urban planning, and tourism to survey and invest in Việt Nam, as well as increase co-operation with Vietnamese firms.

The Vietnamese government would create favourable conditions for Japanese groups and enterprises to do business in Việt Nam, he said, adding that he would assign ministries and agencies to address the recommendations of Japanese firms.

Kobayashi said the visiting JCCI delegation included about 30 businesses operating in the fields of industry, services and finance.

He said hoped trade, investment and economic co-operation between Việt Nam and Japan would continue to expand.

From April this year, the Japanese Government would also welcome more Vietnamese workers with specified skills. He hoped more Vietnamese people would come to learn and work in Japan.

The JCCI was co-ordinating with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities to implement measures to increase economic partnerships.

Việt Nam had become more important to Japan over the years, he said, hoping that the two sides would soon sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The JCCI would do its utmost to contribute to the development of economics, trade and investment relations with Việt Nam, he said. — VNS