Ample space remains to boost cooperation between localities in Vietnam and Kagoshima prefecture in Japan and, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has said.

Speaking at a recent reception for the Governor of Kagoshima prefecture, Shiota Koichi, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Chinh proposed that the Governor encourage local businesses to invest more in Vietnam, especially in areas where the prefecture has strengths, such as automobiles, semiconductor electronics, agriculture, agricultural product processing, and supporting industries, the Government News reported.

Governor Shiota emphasized that Kagoshima hopes to cooperate with Vietnam further in the fields of manufacturing, agriculture, seafood processing, tourism, and student and apprentice exchanges.

He also expressed a wish to establish direct flights between Kagoshima and Vietnam.

Japan has remained a key leading economic partner of Vietnam, its largest official development assistance (ODA) provider, third-largest investor and tourism partner, and fourth-largest trading partner.