Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình receives Governor of Japan’s Ibaraki prefecture Oikawa Kazuhiko. VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình has asked Governor of Japan’s Ibaraki prefecture Oikawa Kazuhiko and its authorities to boost cooperation with Vietnamese localities, especially in high-tech agriculture, manufacturing and processing, and precision engineering.

During a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday, Bình expressed his belief that the visit would contribute to stepping up friendly and cooperatives relations between Ibaraki and Việt Nam.

Việt Nam attaches importance to cooperation between the two countries’ localities, considering it a practical and effective channel to enhance joint work in the fields of trade, investment, labour and people-to-people exchange, according to Bình.

Ibaraki prefecture-based Joyo Bank is one of the first local banks to establish a representative office in Vietnam.

He stressed that Việt Nam would be ready to provide all possible support for enterprises from Ibaraki to do successful business in the country.

Bình suggested that Ibaraki prefecture receives more Vietnamese apprentices and guest workers in line with a memorandum of understanding recently signed between Ibaraki and the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as well as creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese people living and working there.

Kazuhiko said Ibaraki’s gross domestic product (GDP) ranked 11th in Japan (around US$107 billion with strengths in high-tech agriculture, precision engineering and chemicals.

He added that the prefecture had promoted exchanges with Việt Nam and signed an agreement on agricultural cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The governor pledged to step up Japan-Việt Nam relations in general and ties between Ibaraki and Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities in particular.

About 5,200 Vietnamese people are working and living in Ibaraki, mostly apprentices. — VNS