Osaka stands as the most bustling economic, financial, and international trade hub in Western Japan, with a daytime population of approximately 3.5 million and an urban GRDP exceeding USD 130 billion (equivalent to 21 trillion Yen). The city boasts a dense concentration of enterprises and serves as a pillar driving high-tech supply chains, including precision mechanical manufacturing, electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Notably, Osaka is currently leading Asia in green and circular economy development trends through smart waste management solutions, clean hydrogen energy transition, and carbon-neutral transportation infrastructure. The city is also a highly attractive destination for global capital, supported by its International Strategic Comprehensive Special Zone policy which provides major tax incentives for pioneering business activities by investing companies.
Courtesy call on the Vice Chairperson of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee by Vice Mayor of the City of Osaka (September 23, 2024).
Cooperation between the two localities has achieved many substantive milestones through the Business Partners City (BPC) Roundtable Network, of which Ho Chi Minh City and Osaka are core members. In 2025, Osaka hosted activities to further promote economic exchange between the two cities, including a delegation from Ho Chi Minh City visiting Osaka. Building on this momentum, in 2026, Ho Chi Minh City will co-host the BPC Roundtable Conference and welcome a business mission from Osaka, further strengthening B2B trade partnerships. This is expected to expand direct trade channels for consumer goods, handicrafts, and processed foods, creating greater opportunities for hundreds of Osaka-based SMEs to deepen their presence in the southern Vietnamese market. Alongside trade flows, Osaka has consistently and actively supported Ho Chi Minh City in upgrading its urban infrastructure by transferring high-tech engineering solutions, such as carbon emission reduction projects, water supply and drainage system optimization, and environmental improvements modeled after green eco-friendly designs.