In 2025, Vietnam–Japan trade exceeded 50 billion USD for the first time, marking a key milestone in bilateral trade growth and reaffirming Japan as one of Vietnam’s most important and stable trading partners amid global economic uncertainty.

High-end garments for export at the MSV Hue Co., Ltd. factory invested by Japan in Phu Bai Industrial Park, Hue city.

Citing statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the Vietnam Trade Office in Japan noted total trade between the two nations surged by 11.28% year-on-year to 51.43 billion USD last year.

Of the figure, Vietnam’s exports to Japan amounted to 26.77 billion USD, up 8.77%, while the country spent 24.68 billion USD on imports from Japan, up 14.13%. As a result, Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of 2.09 billion USD with Japan last year.

Vietnam’s main export items to Japan in 2025 included textiles and garments; transport vehicles and parts; machinery, equipment and spare parts; wood and wood products; phones and components; computers, electronic products and components; footwear; seafood; coffee; fruits and vegetables; as well as cashew nuts and pepper.

Notably, the structure of Vietnam–Japan trade in 2025 remained highly complementary, reflecting the respective strengths of both economies and their deep integration into global supply chains.

In 2025, Vietnam–Japan trade continued to show strong complementarity, highlighting each economy’s strengths and their close integration within global supply chains. Vietnam maintained a trade surplus, reaffirming Japan’s strategic role as a stable market for Vietnamese goods and a reliable supplier of materials.

Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Japan Ta Duc Minh said the growth in two-way trade last year was not merely a historic figure but also reflected the substantive and sustainable growth of economic cooperation between the two countries amid ongoing global economic volatility.

He attributed the results to the strategic guidance by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in promoting Vietnam–Japan economic and trade relations, noting that through effective negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements, developing policies to help businesses take advantage of tariff incentives, and guiding the development of key export sectors, the ministry has laid a solid foundation for enterprises from both countries to expand cooperation and deepen integration into regional and global value chains.

The Vietnam Trade Office in Japan has served as a direct and effective bridge between businesses of the two countries.

In 2025, it coordinated and supported Vietnamese enterprises in participating in major trade and investment promotion events, including Foodex Japan 2025, the M-Tech Manufacturing Expo, Gift Show, DIY Show, fashion and textile exhibitions, building and decoration fairs, as well as Vietnam festivals in Tokyo and Kanagawa.

The office also hosted Japanese business delegations in Vietnam for trade fairs and market surveys, connecting companies across key sectors. These efforts helped boost trade and strengthen market knowledge, technical standards, and long-term cooperation.

In the coming period, the trade office will proactively monitor and analyse situations affecting trade with Vietnam, providing timely policy advice to the Government and the MoIT, and early warnings to the business community.

It also plans to strengthen capacity in supporting industries through partnerships, technical programmes, and high-quality workforce training, while promoting technology transfer, research and development collaboration, and bilateral cooperation in areas such as digital transformation, green economy, clean energy, and logistics.

With the support of the MoIT, the direct assistance of the Vietnam Trade Office in Japan, and the proactive efforts of the business community, the Vietnam – Japan trade and investment cooperation is expected to grow strongly in the time to come.

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