Japanese business travelers in Vietnam to surge in September: JETRO

Nobuyuki Matsumoto, JETRO Chief Representative in Ho Chi Minh City, said that in the first seven months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 283,668 Japanese visitors, 617 folds higher than that in the same period last year. However, compared to the figure recorded in the same period in 2019 before Covid broke out, the number was equal to only 54%.

The new and more favorable visa policy is expected to bring about positive impacts, especially on Japanese business travelers in September after Japan's peak tourism season and on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations, he said.

Currently, 460,000 Vietnamese people are working in Japan, accounting for one fourth of the total foreign workforce in the country, he noted, expressing his hope that Vietnam will increase tourism promotion in Japan.

The JETRO Chief Representative said that from September, JETRO plans to organize various events to strengthen bilateral economic partnership, including a business connection event for Japanese firms and Vietnamese startups slated for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in September.

In November, JETRO will hold a "Fast Track" event with the participation of leading Vietnamese and Japanese companies who will challenge Vietnamese startups, he revealed.

Nobuyuki Matsumoto said that Japanese investors highly values the development potential of the Vietnamese market. However, he pointed to a number of difficulties facing them, including modest industrial land reserve and complicated administrative procedures in work permit issuance.

He advised Vietnam to stably develop industrial parks, while making more efforts in administrative reform, and developing more high-quality residential areas for Japanese experts in localities.

Recently, the National Assembly has adopted a law amending and supplementing some articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Foreigners' Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence.

Under this law, starting from Aug. 15, citizens from all countries and territories around the world can use e-visas to enter Vietnam, with the visa valid for multiple entries and for 90 days.

The law also permits citizens of the 13 countries entitled to Vietnam’s unilateral visa exemption to be granted a temporary residence period of 45 days, instead of 15 days like in the past, and have visa granting and temporary residence extension considered in line with regulations.

The 13 countries are Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus.