Authorities of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and Japan’s Wakayama prefecture discussed multi-faceted cooperation prospects during their working session in Can Tho on September 10.

A large-scale paddy field in the Mekong Delta 

Director of the Business Promotion Department Seizo Tsuji said Wakayama wants to transfer high technology to Can Tho through official development assistance (ODA) projects to help the city improve the quality of farm produce to export to choosy markets, including Japan.

 The Japanese prefecture also wants to open training courses for local agricultural officials, farmers and farming households to develop human resources in the field and promote farm produce trading in Can Tho, he added.

 The Wakayama administration will encourage and create all possible conditions for Japanese businesses in general and Wakayama enterprises in particular to increase investment in Can Tho and neighbouring localities to improve cultivation techniques for locals, as well as expand the application of high-tech agricultural models and post-harvest technology to create more high-quality products, he said.

 The prefecture hopes Can Tho authorities will support the introduction and distribution of products made from Wakayama’s special seedless persimmon varieties to customers in the southwestern region. Vice versa, the Japanese locality will import local fruit specialties such as Nam Roi grapefruit, Lo Ren star apple, and Can Tho orange.

 Regarding urban management and environmental protection, Tsuji said Wakayama is willing to support Can Tho to create software for urban planning calculation, check-up and maintenance of water drainage facilities, and database management to promptly detect and settle possible incidents in the field.

 The prefecture will also help Can Tho connect with Japanese investors and experts specialised in designing solar energy usage systems for public lighting to study urban infrastructure management, he added.

 Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Tan Hien agreed on the aforesaid proposals and cooperation plans of Wakayama, and affirmed that Can Tho will create the best conditions for Japanese organisations and enterprises to cooperate and invest in the city.