Vietnam and Japan will sign a cooperation agreement providing labour skills for foreigners, aiming to enable Vietnamese citizens to work in Japan in line with the country’s new visa policy.

Participants at the workshop (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at a conference in Tokyo on May 14, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam affirmed that the Vietnamese Government supports the relaxation of visa regulations to attract more foreign workers. 

This is an objective requirement of all countries when integrating into the international economy, he said.

Previously, the labour cooperation between Vietnam and Japan was conducted under training programmes. However, this form reveals many limitations detrimental to both employers and employees, according to the ambassador.

He unveiled that the new cooperation deal will soon be signed between Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare; and National Police Agency.

Nam hoped the reception of Vietnamese workers according to Japan’s new visa policy will be carried out swiftly, helping the country maintain its economic growth and business operations.

At the workshop, Ambassador Vu Hong Nam highlighted Vietnam’s remarkable socio-economic achievements and foreign direct investment attraction policies, as well as the economic ties between Vietnam and Japan in recent times.

He said Vietnam is an ideal destination for foreign investors thanks to socio-political stability, rapid economic development, high growth potential, and open policies with numerous preferences as well as improved infrastructure, abundant human resources, and competitive production costs.

So far, Vietnam has joined 12 free trade agreements (FTAs) and is negotiating three others, Nam said.

Regarding the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the ambassador highly appreciated the role of Japan in the deal’s negotiation process.

The agreement will help cut down all tariffs on products of Japanese strength. For Vietnam, it will create the best conditions for Vietnamese businesses in terms of customs procedures, he said.

Nam, along with Vietnamese trade and investment counsellors in Japan, also fielded questions related to trade, investment, and labour issues.

The workshop was held by the ASEAN-Japan Centre with the participation of representatives from nearly 200 businesses and researchers about Vietnam.