Japan and Vietnam have pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung prioritising energy security, critical minerals, technology and supply chain resilience.
The discussions focused on expanding the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2023. Speaking after the meeting, Takaichi said “the two sides identified economic security as a new priority area for bilateral cooperation.”
“With regard to critical minerals… both sides agreed to strengthen close coordination to ensure stable supplies and reinforce supply chains,” she added.
Key developments include:
- Bilateral trade rose 12.3% year-on-year to $13.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026
- New Japanese investment in Vietnam fell around 75% to $233 million
- Six agreements were signed covering infrastructure, climate, agriculture, digitalisation and space cooperation
- Japan will support crude oil supply arrangements for Vietnam’s Nghi Son Refinery under its $10 billion Power Asia Initiative
The talks also addressed regional stability, the Indo-Pacific strategy, semiconductors, artificial intelligence and energy resilience amid Middle East supply disruptions.
ℹ️ Reuters
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