Vietnam’s exports to Japan have seen steady growth over the years, hitting 9.68 billion USD in the first half of 2019, up 9.1 percent from the same period last year. Key export items include textile and garment, seafood, machinery, wood products, mobile phones and electronic components.
As of the beginning of May, Japan was Vietnam’s second largest investor, running 4,118 foreign direct investment projects worth 57.3 billion USD, mostly in processing and manufacturing, retail and real estate. An estimated 2,500 Japanese firms, including leading conglomerates, have operated in Vietnam, and many of them plan to expand.
The recent upswing in exports to Japan was thanks to the signing of the CPTPP, of which both Vietnam and Japan are members. Under the CPTPP, Japan agreed to eliminate duties for most Vietnamese agricultural and seafood products.
Japan immediately lifted 86 percent of tariff lines for goods from Vietnam, representing 93.6 percent of the latter country’s exports after the deal went into force. After five years, Vietnam will be exempt from about 90 percent of tariff lines.
The CPTPP is hoped to bring tremendous benefits for both countries, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh.
The trade deal will allow Japanese enterprises to enter Vietnam’s growing public procurement market, which has been so far closed to foreign providers. Additionally, it would give those working in banking, insurance, construction, logistics, accounting and graphic design – areas Japan holds competitive edges – broader access to the Vietnamese market.
The CPTPP will strengthen Vietnam’s role as a production base for Japanese manufacturers and in return, Vietnamese firms will also receive the same benefits when entering Japan, according to Yuri Sato, Executive Vice President of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).
Sato added that the agreement imposes strong protection requirements in terms of intellectual property rights and investment protection. For example, foreign companies now have the right to withdraw investment and require fair compensation and legal support if their assets are nationalised. These rules could encourage Japanese firms to ramp up technological exports to Vietnam.
Therefore, the CPTPP is expected to greatly facilitate the flow of trade and investment between the two nations by not only removing tariffs but also creating new business opportunities and allowing reduction of trade and investment procedures.
Shibata Eiji, Vice Chairman of Japan-based AEON Group said Vietnamese goods have great potential in the Japanese market. In 2013, Japan imported Vietnamese tra fish for the first time with a very modest number of 5 tonnes, but imports rose 20 times to 100 tonnes a mere five years later.
AEON wants to double import revenue of Vietnamese products to 500 million USD by 2020 and raise it to 1 billion USD by 2025, the vice chairman noted.
To sustainably boost exports to Japan, Vietnam, first and foremost, needs an effective marketing strategy. The two sides should also provide broader access for each other’s agricultural and seafood products and effectively implement joint initiatives to improve the investment environment and promote Japanese investment in Vietnam.
Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said Vietnam joining trade agreements like CPTPP will bring more export opportunities; however, the country would confront challenges, particularly growing competition from foreign rivals for agricultural and seafood products.
The minister suggested Vietnamese producers seek partnerships with Japanese firms to utilise their capital and technology, hereby gaining stronger foothold in the Japanese market and playing a greater part in regional and global supply chains.
VNA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp and pangasius continued to lead growth, helping seafood exports reach $4.67 billion in the first five months of the year; however, differentiation among product groups and increasingly stringent requirements from importing markets are posing many challenges for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam Clean Seafood Corporation has invested in a 280-hectare super-intensive shrimp farming zone in Tran De Commune, Can Tho City, generating export value of approximately VND 3 billion per hectare per year—around 50 times higher than traditional agricultural production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.02 billion in May 2026, up 0.6% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 4.67 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In a rapidly changing global seafood market, timely insights and reliable data are more critical than ever. The Report on Vietnam Seafood Exports in Q1/2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Vietnam’s seafood production, trade performance, and export trends, helping businesses navigate uncertainty and identify new growth opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While many major markets continue to experience slow growth, Russia has emerged as a brighter destination for Vietnamese tuna exports in early 2026. Export turnover to this market increased by nearly 55% in the first four months of the year, indicating a clear improvement in demand. Nevertheless, Russia remains a market that should be viewed with both optimism and caution.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
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