Japan-Viet Nam Relations
Visit to Thang Long Industrial Park and Roundtable Discussion with Japanese-affiliated Companies
April 27, 2025
(Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
(Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
(Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
On April 27, from 2:40 PM (local time; 4:40 PM, JST) for approximately one hour, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, currently visiting Viet Nam, visited Thang Long Industrial Park located in the northern part of Hanoi, the capital city. He visited the Canon Vietnam factory situated within the park and held a roundtable discussion with representatives of Japanese-affiliated companies operating in the area. The overview is as follows.
- Prime Minister Ishiba was welcomed by Mr. Toshio Honma, Executive Vice President of Canon Inc., as well as by employees of Canon Vietnam. He received an explanation about the operations of the industrial park from Mr. Kenta Kawabe, President of Thang Long Industrial Park Corporation, and about Canon’s printer manufacturing operations in Viet Nam from Mr. Toshio Honma and Mr. Shigeyuki Okamoto, President of Canon Vietnam.
- Following this, Prime Minister Ishiba visited the factory for approximately 20 minutes to see the dedicated work of skilled Vietnamese workers.
- After the factory tour, Mr. Masahiro Hanji, President of DENSO Manufacturing Vietnam, Mr. Kazunari Matsumoto, President of MHI Aerospace Vietnam, and Mr. Kyoji Asada, President of TOTO Vietnam, joined the roundtable. Prime Minister Ishiba held a roundtable discussion on the current state and challenges faced by Japanese manufacturing companies operating in Viet Nam.
- He stated that the longstanding efforts of Japanese companies, particularly those operating in the Thang Long Industrial Park, have contributed to building strong ties between Japan and Vien Nam, and he expressed his respect for these efforts. He also listened attentively to the candid views of the participants regarding the impact of increasing global economic uncertainty on business in Viet Nam.