In terms of the economy and flagship sectors, Yamaguchi has a population of approximately 1.34 million and is one of Japan's leading industrial manufacturing hubs with a massive GDP contribution. The prefecture boasts an impressive value of industrial product shipments, reaching approximately 5.9 trillion Yen. Benefiting from its geographical advantage of being surrounded by the sea on three sides, the prefecture serves as a vital maritime logistics gateway connecting mainland Japan with the Asian continent. Yamaguchi's economy is underpinned by a robust heavy engineering structure, which has boomed since the post-war era thanks to large-scale coastal industrial complexes. The prefecture's nation-leading flagship industries include chemicals, petrochemicals, basic materials (steel, cement), shipbuilding, transport machinery manufacturing, and electronic equipment. Concurrently, Yamaguchi is pioneering the development of specialized R&D centers for biomedical materials and high-tech medical equipment, while maintaining its strengths in high-quality agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, featuring globally renowned marine specialties.
Comrade Vo Van Minh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Chairman of the City People's Council, receives the Yamaguchi delegation. - Photo: Ho Chi Minh City People's Council
Over more than a decade, the outstanding cooperative achievements between the two localities have been highly substantive and deep. In economics and trade, both sides have regularly implemented investment promotion programs, creating open corridors to encourage major manufacturing conglomerates from Yamaguchi to channel FDI and transfer technology into industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City. On the human resource development front, cooperative educational projects, the dispatch of technical interns, and specified skilled workers from Ho Chi Minh City to Yamaguchi have delivered great economic efficiency. Notably, joint training activities, the exchange of public administration experiences, and capacity building for elected representatives between the two local legislative bodies have become a shining example of local-level parliamentary diplomacy.
Looking toward the future, particularly within the framework of the Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Dialogue in 2026 (FD 2026), the City is widening its corridors to attract direct investment and foster strategic alliances with partners from Yamaguchi Prefecture in five key sectors:
1. High-Tech Industries and Manufacturing: Encouraging engineering conglomerates from Yamaguchi to invest in manufacturing plants and integrate automotive component, shipbuilding, precision machinery, and electronic equipment supply chains within the City's key industrial parks.
2. Green Transition and New Materials Industry: Partnering in the transfer of low-emission production solutions in heavy industries, the application of clean energy, and the development of advanced eco-friendly materials.
3. Healthcare and Biotechnology: Attracting investment into research, medical equipment manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and high-tech healthcare solutions—fields that Yamaguchi is currently and actively prioritizing for advanced research.
4. Educational Cooperation and Human Resource Development: Expanding the scale of joint training programs, upgrading specialized technical skills for engineers and experts, and connecting educational institutions from both sides.
5. People-to-People Exchanges and Eco-Tourism: Enhancing connectivity to promote marine eco-tourism destinations, while boosting people-to-people diplomacy through periodic signature cultural and culinary festivals.