On July 9, at the Ministry of Home Affairs headquarters, Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Hoi received Ito Naoki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Viet Nam, to discuss human resources and labour development. Both sides reaffirmed and expressed their desire to advance cooperation in these areas between Viet Nam and Japan to a new level.

At the meeting, Ambassador Ito Naoki recalled the official visit to Viet Nam by Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru from April 27–29, 2025, at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. During his meetings, courtesy calls, and talks with senior leaders of Viet Nam, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru reiterated Japan's commitment to stand by Viet Nam in the new era, supporting the country’s socio-economic development, including the advancement of human resources.

Sharing key points to enhance bilateral labour cooperation, Ambassador Ito Naoki highlighted that the programme sending nursing and caregiving candidates to Japan under the Viet Nam–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has been implemented since 2013. To date, the two sides have conducted recruitment and Japanese language training for 13 cohorts, with over 2,000 candidates from 12 cohorts having gone to study and work in Japan. To ensure the implementation of the EPA programme’s plan and training activities, the Ambassador proposed that the Ministry of Home Affairs promptly organise the opening ceremony for the Japanese language course for the 14th cohort.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment and desire to elevate cooperation in human resources and labour development between Viet Nam and Japan to new heights.

“Currently, there are around 630,000 Vietnamese workers living and working in Japan. Each year, approximately 70,000–80,000 workers travel to work in Japan. The Japanese Government hopes that both sides will continue increasing the number of Vietnamese workers in Japan to 1 million in the near future,” Ambassador Ito Naoki emphasised.

Regarding improvements to the working environment for foreign workers in Japan, Ambassador Ito Naoki said that the Japanese Government will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with sending countries to strengthen cooperation, aiming to eliminate unscrupulous sending companies; enhance transparency of information regarding service fees charged to workers; and establish a mechanism for workers and receiving companies to share costs appropriately to reduce the financial burden on workers.

Thanking the Ambassador for his insights, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi highly appreciated his efforts and positive contributions in promoting Viet Nam–Japan relations as well as advancing cooperation in human resources and labour development between the two countries in recent years.

The Deputy Minister noted that from July 1, 2025, Viet Nam’s two-tier local government model has come into operation, serving as an important foundation for strengthening decentralisation between the central and local governments.

He also requested that Japan continue to improve the working and living conditions, social security, income levels, and salaries and bonuses for workers.

Discussing the social insurance agreement with Japan, Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Hoi expressed his wish and proposal for both sides to accelerate progress towards signing and bringing the agreement into force. Given the large labour forces of both Viet Nam and Japan, workers should not be required to pay social insurance twice, as this creates difficulties for workers in both countries.

According to the Department of Overseas Labour Managementunder the Ministry of Home Affairs, in the first six months of 2025, the total number of Vietnamese workers sent abroad under contract reached nearly 75,000. Of these, Japan was the largest receiving market, with 35,240 workers.