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
(seafoo.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau Province is stepping up efforts to protect aquatic resources and promote transparent and sustainable fisheries, joining the country’s efforts to have the European Commission (EC) remove its “yellow card” warning for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam has strengthened its position in China’s massive seafood market, becoming the largest lobster supplier while maintaining a dominant share of the country’s imported pangasius.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026 was more than just a larger exhibition space. Through B2B meetings, booth discussions, production-chain visits and post-show feedback, businesses and buyers found something more concrete: suitable suppliers, processing capabilities, technology solutions, new markets and a foundation for building long-term trust and partnerships.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States declined significantly in the first seven months of 2026. Cumulative export value reached US$18 million, down 42% from the same period in 2025. In July alone, exports amounted to just US$2 million, plunging 70%, indicating a clear slowdown in import demand from the US market.
(vasep.com.vn) At the seminar “Global Seafood Markets and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities and Directions for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector,” held as part of VIETFISH 2026, Ms. Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Fisheries Officer (Markets) and GLOBEFISH Coordinator at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), presented initiatives aimed at promoting youth participation in fisheries and aquaculture.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the United States reached US$189 million, down 8% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached US$22 million, down 28%. This trend indicates that U.S. demand for pangasius imports has remained relatively cautious this year, as importers tend to maintain moderate inventory levels and limit stockpiling.
(vasep.com.vn) After three days at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Fisheries Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 – has successfully concluded, leaving a strong impression in terms of scale, visitor numbers, the quality of business connections, and innovative activities. With more than 14,000 m² of exhibition space, 335 companies, 568 booths, participation from representatives of 17 countries and territories, and nearly 15,000 visitors, VIETFISH 2026 has once again affirmed its role as an important meeting point for Vietnam’s and the global seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Held as part of Vietfish 2026 from August 19–21 at SECC in Ho Chi Minh City, a series of five specialized seminars provided the seafood business community with updates on markets, technology, standards, human resources and cooperation opportunities. With the participation of experts, international organizations, government agencies and businesses from Vietnam and abroad, the seminars created an additional platform for professional exchange alongside the exhibition’s product showcases and business networking activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 officially opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. With 568 booths representing 335 companies, alongside the presence of senior government officials, local authorities, diplomatic missions and international partners, VIETFISH 2026 kicks off three days of business networking, technology exchange and market engagement under the overarching theme “Innovation and Sustainability.”
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) officially announces that the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn