Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of Japanese holding company Softbank (Photo: VGP)

Mr. Phuc welcomed Softbank’s expansion of its investment in Vietnam, calling on the company to strengthen its presence in the Vietnamese market by investing in the higher value added areas, including a project on establishing an innovation center of the Vietnamese government.  He pledged favorable conditions for Softbank’s investment in Vietnam.

Receiving Yuji Kuroiwa, Governor of Kanagawa, Prime Minister Phuc said Vietnam always hopes to increase ties with Japan in general and Kanagawa prefecture in particular. He asked the Governor and Kanagawa authority to encourage enterprises to bolster investment and business in Vietnam, foster cultural exchanges and tourism cooperation with Vietnam, and receive more apprentices and workers from Vietnam.

Meeting with President and CEO of Nikkei newspaper Okada Naotoshi, PM Phuc suggested that Nikkei regularly updates Japanese readers on the economic development in Vietnam and the efforts of the Vietnamese government in improving the business and investment environment, thus contributing to promoting Vietnam-Japan economic partnership.

Mr. Okada expressed his hope that Vietnam’s leaders will attend The Future of Asia conference next year, when Vietnam serves as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member on the UN Security Council. He reiterated that Nikkei wishes to further contribute to the relationship between Vietnam and Japan.