QPlease introduce your company.

Our TOCONTAP was established in 1956 and has operated in many fields. In the past, our company was a monopoly (state-owned) company. Since 2005, in compliance with the Government’s policies on equitization, it has changed to a joint stock company.
In the past, our company operated in only one field that is grocery exporting and importing; however, since 2005, we have operated in 4 fields. The first field is import-export sector including exporting and importing of agricultural products, handicraft products, and garment products. The second field of our operation is manufacturing plants. There are rice milling plant, garment plant, and even kimono factory. Our third field is dispatching larborers to Japan. The last one is that we have participated in some real estate projects.
In our exports and imports service, 70% of which is exports to Japan. The rest is from other markets of European, the US, and Asian countries.

QPlease introduce yourself.

I studied in Foreign Trade University, which is a national university, for 5 years. In the university, I studied foreign trade and economic operation. In 1981, I was assigned to work at Generalimex, a company of the Ministry of Commerce. In this company, I experienced in import-export field, outsourcing processed goods, and was promoted to the Deputy Director of Generalimex. In 2001, upon the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s request, I was assigned to work at TOCONTAP and has been the Director of TOCONTAP until now.

QWhy did you choose Osaka?

There are 3 reasons for us to establish a branch in Osaka. The first reason is that there are many similarities between Osaka and Hochiminh City. They are big cities and also are economic center of the country. There are many manufacturing plants and have highest economic growth in the country.
The 2nd reason for us to select Osaka is that there are many clients in Osaka. For examples, we have kimono clients in Kyoto, some food supplements clients in Nara. Especially, currently we have dispatched a large number of trainees to this Kansai area.
The last point to select Osaka is that the number of our dispatched trainees is so many. In order to further strengthen the management activities, we want to set up a branch here. It will be convenient to cooperate with Japanese enterprises to manage dispatched trainees.

QWhat business prospects do you have in Osaka?

We think the current exports and imports between Vietnam and Japan reached to USD 19 billion. Although Vietnam has advantages in agricultural products, only handicraft products have been included because Vietnamese agricultural products do not meet Japanese’s quality requirements. We hope that in a short coming time, Vietnam shall export many of its advantage agriculture products such as rice, vegetable products, and fruits to Japan.
I think the importance covers from the beginning to the end. It means how to keep food safety. In fact, Vietnam has certain products with usage of chemicals, pesticide. Of course, in comparison to Japanese’s criteria, they don’t meet. However, we currently see processes improvements. And many Japanese comes to Vietnam to grow clean vegetable products in Vietnam.

QPlease tell us current situation of Vietnamese trainees who would like to go to Japan.

Currently, our number of dispatched trainees in Japan is reached 3000 people. And the number of trainees who are currently training in Japan is about 900 people. Among this number of trainees, we realize that most of them have been highly appreciated by the enterprises, and are hardworking, has improvement in Japanese.
The current number of trainees is so many. We recruit skilled trainee, for example in garment industry, welding industry, construction industry, and agriculture industries.
Currently, our young trainees have many jobs within our country. However, in order to learn Japanese working style, especially in the current condition that the economic relationship between countries are very closed, there are more and more young people want to go to Japan for learn.
Once we receive the employment information from companies in Japan, we ask vocational schools/ technical colleges or companies engaged in the same business in Vietnam and recruit applicants who meet the conditions.
Usually , we trained them Japanese language for 4 to 5 months before departure. Not only the enterprises receiving trainees but we also check their Japanese language skill before dispatching them to Japan.

QDo you provide follow-up action after those trainees return home?

When trainees come back, we always have meetings, and keep frequent contacts. We may refer them to Japanese companies in Vietnam.
For example, currently the Japanese medium and small size enterprises have invested many manufacturing plants in Vietnam. And these manufacturing plants require the same way as manufacturing plants in Japan, especially for the way to build the floor. I think there are so many Japanese techniques that shall be required in Vietnam.

QAre there any requests for Japanese companies receiving trainees?

We would like to have more contracts with enterprises receiving trainees to keep update the situation. Firstly, what are the dispatched trainees’ weaknesses so that we can further train to the next before their departures. Secondly, we would like to receive from the Japanese enterprises more information and more details about Japanese working styles so that these trainees shall not be strange and surprised when they arrive Japan.
Thirdly, we would like Japanese enterprises to consider our dispatched trainees as their temporary 3 years trainees. So that, they should have better training and better relationship at work. After 3 years, the trainees shall gain good experience and knowledge for new job.

QPlease give a message for foreign companies considering coming to Osaka.

I have the following message. In fact, in the relationship with Japan for long, I see that people from Osaka are open, enthusiastic, and good in relationship. Especially, there are many things in Japan that we should learn; so that, you should come here and try by yourself and prove what I said.
Sights are pretty and food is delicious.

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