It is the two countries’ first virtual event in this field and jointly held by the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center, the Vietnamese Trade Office in Japan, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

It aims to help businesses popularize products and seek cooperation opportunities amid the complexities brought about by COVID-19.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Trade Counselor in Japan Ta Duc Minh underlined that the two countries’ cooperation in support industries has yet to match potential.

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A teleconference on trade promotion between Vietnam and Japan in support industries opened on July 7. Photo for illustration

The added value of Vietnamese companies remains modest, he said, urging them to further invest in research and development and modern equipment.

Japan is Vietnam’s third-largest trade partner, with two-way trade reaching USD 15.6 billion in the first five months of this year, up 2.2 percent against the same period last year, despite the impact of COVID-19.

Vietnam’s exports to Japan during the period stood at USD 7.83 billion while imports totaled USD 7.77 billion.

Vietnam shipped the first batch of lychee to Japan last month - more than two tons that sold out in just one day.

It expects to export a total of 200 tons of the tropical fruit to the country via air and sea this year.

Source: VNA