Illustrative photo for handicraft – Source: Internet

A Vietnamese product fair was held from August 3-5 in Japan introducing Vietnamese goods to Japanese people including garments, handicrafts, fruits and foodstuff.

The event was held by the Japan’s Aeon Corporation in collaboration with the Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnamese Commercial Affairs in Japan and Vietnam Airlines at the Lake Town Trade Center in Koshigaya city, Saitama province.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fair, Vice-president and Chief Executive Officer of Aeon Group Hiroshi Yokoo stressed that Vietnam and Japan had many similarities. The two sides have had commercial relations and cultural exchanges since the 16^th century. Vietnam has a young steadfast, hard-working and skillful population.

At this fair, the Aeon Group wanted to introduce Japanese customers to Vietnamese culture and popular consumer goods from Vietnam.

According to Mr Yokoo, the Aeon Group had projected to build the first trade center of the group in Vietnam and is expected to be operational in 2014. The fair is also an activity to mark the 40^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2013.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa said that since the diplomatic ties was established in 1973, Vietnamese – Japanese relations have developed well in the fields of economics, trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges.

In the field of commerce, the two-way trade in 2011 reached 21 billion USD and reached 12 billion USD in the first six months of this year.

In the field of Investment, Japan is the leading investor in Vietnam with the total investment capital of 28 billion USD in around 1,700 projects.

Also according to Deputy Minister, Vietnam is favoured by nature and has many landscapes with good fruits. Vietnam has exported its merchandise to 220 countries in the world and Vietnam’s rice and coffee export are ranked the 2^nd position in the world.

More and more Vietnam’s goods are exported to Japan and are popular.

She hoped that this fair would contribute to boosting the understanding of Japanese people about the country and culture of the Vietnamese, contributing to promoting the friendship between the two nations.

During the three-day fair, thousands of Japanese consumers came to watch special art performance programs, visited stalls and enjoyed famous dishes from Vietnam./.