Hai Phong strengthens friendship and cooperation with Japan

Bridges of friendship

Amid the pink hues of cherry blossoms at Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park, lively Yosakoi dances, the resounding beats of Taiko drums and activities offering hands-on experiences of Japanese culture created a welcoming exchange atmosphere. Following last year's cherry blossom event, the 2026 Hai Phong - Nam Cau Kien Vietnam - Japan Cultural Exchange Festival not only brought Japan's distinctive cultural features closer to city residents but also helped strengthen friendship and expand cooperation between the peoples of the two countries.

For Bui Ngoc Dan Thanh, a student at To Hieu Junior High School in Le Chan Ward, the Vietnam-Japan Learning, Experiential and Cultural Exchange Day organized by her school offered an opportunity to learn about kimono, try cosplay and discover new aspects of Japanese culture. Her initial curiosity inspired her to learn Japanese so that she could better understand the country and its people.

Beyond cultural and educational exchanges, Hai Phong's relations with Japanese partners are also reflected in investment, production and the transfer of experience. The presence of Japanese businesses has helped create jobs and expand opportunities to access technology, management methods and industrial production practices.

Pham Hong Diep, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shinec JSC, said that Japanese experience had helped shape approaches to industrial development that emphasize environmental responsibility. This demonstrates how international cooperation not only brings in investment resources but also helps promote a development mindset that balances production with environmental protection.

Hiromatsu Mitsutaka, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, affirmed that the embassy would coordinate with the Hai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Foundation to further promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in general and with Hai Phong in particular.

Connection effectiveness

Friendship between Hai Phong and Japan is fostered not only through meetings and cultural exchanges but is increasingly translated into practical cooperation programs in the fields of economy, education, infrastructure development and environmental protection. From shared interests in people-to-people exchanges to tangible benefits from development cooperation, relationships built over years are creating an increasingly extensive network of connections between Hai Phong and its Japanese partners.

In investment, Japan is one of the city's important economic partners. Hai Phong currently has 211 Japanese direct investment projects, with total registered capital of approximately USD 6.5 billion, ranking Japan fourth in both the number of projects and total investment.

The effectiveness of these connections is also reflected in increasingly vibrant trade activities. In 2025, total import-export turnover between Hai Phong and Japan reached USD 5.68 billion.

At the local level, Hai Phong has established friendship and cooperation ties with several Japanese localities, including Kitakyushu, Kagawa, Niigata, Kobe, Yokkaichi, Shiga, Fukuoka and Kagoshima. These partnerships provide additional channels for direct engagement, facilitating the exchange of management experience, exploration of cooperation opportunities and promotion of joint development programs.

According to Tran Thi Quynh Trang, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, building on the foundation of friendship established over the years, stronger connections among authorities, businesses, educational institutions and residents will help translate goodwill into concrete cooperation programs, making practical contributions to the development of Hai Phong and Vietnam-Japan relations.

BUI HANH