Da Nang emerges as favourite destination for Japanese investors

After lagging behind other provinces and cities nationwide in attracting Japanese investment, the central city of Da Nang has emerged as a popular destination for investors from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Statistics released by the municipal Department of Planning and Investment showed that Japan investors have to date poured more than 950 million USD in 194 projects, ranking first among over 40 countries and territories investing in the city.

According to Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Le Trung Chinh, Japan has been a leading foreign investor in Da Nang in the number of projects. Japanese firms have greatly contributed to the city’s economic development, creating jobs for about 30,000 workers in Da Nang and neighbouring localities. 

The city has huge demand for high quality accommodation and tourism services, he added.

Japan’s Mikazuki Group recently announced its investment worth 50 million USD to build a night market and pedestrian zone next to the Mikazuki Spa & Hotel project that is underway near Xuan Thieu beach. 

Besides, the Sun Frontier Da Nang One Member Limited Company, a wholly Japanese-invested firm, began the construction of its 29-storey building in the central city. 

Earlier, a luxury apartment project of the company was inaugurated in the city’s Son Tra district, which was built at a cost of more than 27 million USD. 

In late 2016, one of Japan’s leading hotel groups Route Inn channelled about 58 million USD into a hotel project in Da Nang. 

Japanese-funded projects in other sectors of the city include those of Viet Hoa Electronics Co. Ltd. with a budget of 119 million USD; and of Mabuchi Motor Vietnam and Daiwa Vietnam with registered capital worth 89 million USD and 45 million USD, respectively.

Notably, there are total 162 industrial projects out of more than 700 foreign direct investment projects, accounting for over 47 percent of the FDI capital in the city. 

Experts noted that Japanese investors pay great attention to information provided by their predecessors when doing business abroad. Therefore, to attract Japanese capital influx, local authorities should work towards policy transparency for current firms, particularly in tax collection, land policy, investment procedure, customs clearance and import-export. 

The city was also advised to improve its infrastructure, including Da Nang airport, seaports, electric power systems and wastewater treatment systems in industrial parks. 

Da Nang should foster twin-city relations with Japanese localities and business associations to better call for more investment. The city can consider sending workers for training in Japan before returning home.

However, bottlenecks remain in Da Nang’s investment climate, said Director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Tran Phuoc Son. Many projects deemed attractive to foreign investors, yet land planning procedures hinder their development, he said.

In addition, the city’s overloaded infrastructure and the fledgling supporting industry have made it difficult to attract investment in high technology. 

Da Nang is currently home to six industrial parks and the city plans to set up three others, namely Hoa Cam (second stage), Hoa Nhon and Hoa Ninh, in the coming time.   

Between January and June this year, the city drew more than 542 million USD worth of foreign investment.

Da Nang successfully organised a spring conference with investors, during which investment registration certificates were granted to eight projects worth over 492 million USD. Meanwhile, the local authorities allowed research for 11 potential projects worth nearly 3.5 billion USD.

The city topped the country in public administrative reform index from 2012 to 2016, and came fourth in 2017, while maintaining its top position in ICT development index in 10 consecutive years.

Japan was placed third among 65 countries and territories investing in new projects in Vietnam during the first seven months of 2019, data of the General Statistics Office show.

In the period, new Japanese-invested projects worth 1.12 billion USD was licensed, accounting for 13.6 percent of the total newly registered foreign investment.

The GSO said from the year’s beginning to July 20, about 20.2 billion USD of FDI poured into Vietnam, down 13.4 percent year on year.

Of this sum, 8.27 billion USD was channelled into 2,064 new projects, down 37.4 percent in the capital but up 24.6 percent in the project number compared to the same period last year.

VNA

Other News

Data-driven land valuation to curb speculation: Experts

Data-driven land valuation to curb speculation: Experts

From a property-market perspective, Do Thi Thu Giang, National Director of Valuation and Advisory at Savills Vietnam, said the orientations under Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW could make the market more transparent and efficient, with property values increasingly tied to actual development and use potential.

Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW sets new growth drivers for Vietnam

Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW sets new growth drivers for Vietnam

Science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and AI must be translated into higher productivity rather than pursued as ends in themselves. At the same time, people should be placed at the centre of development, not merely viewed as a resource but as the ultimate objective of development policies.

Expo to open door for Vietnamese suppliers to enter US market

Expo to open door for Vietnamese suppliers to enter US market

US retail giant Target is seeking Vietnamese suppliers of household goods, home textiles, children’s products, personal care and beauty products, with a focus on companies capable of manufacturing and developing products that meet requirements on quality, design and supply chain management.

2026 Banking Sector Digital Transformation to open in Hanoi

2026 Banking Sector Digital Transformation to open in Hanoi

The annual event, which will be held on August 18-19, 2026, at the ICE International Exhibition Centre, 91 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi, is expected to attract around 324 delegates and feature 21 booths representing credit institutions, payment intermediary service providers, and technology companies.

Vietnam – one of most attractive destinations for leading US semiconductor companies: expert

Vietnam – one of most attractive destinations for leading US semiconductor companies: expert

Vietnam has built a solid semiconductor and electronics industry before joining ITSI, attracting major US semiconductor companies. Intel Products Vietnam is one of Intel's largest assembly and testing facilities worldwide, while chip design companies such as Synopsys, Cadence, Marvell and Qualcomm have established engineering and research centres in the Southeast Asian country.

Vietnam targets higher-quality FDI under Resolution 10

Vietnam targets higher-quality FDI under Resolution 10

During the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam attracted more than 38 billion USD in registered FDI, up nearly 58% year-on-year. More importantly, the increase was driven by large-scale, high-tech projects rather than a surge in the number of new investments, signalling a significant improvement in the quality of capital inflows.

Manufacturing, engineering drive hiring growth in H1: report

Manufacturing, engineering drive hiring growth in H1: report

Manufacturing and engineering posted the strongest recruitment growth, with hiring demand surging 70% year-on-year, driven by production expansion, supply chain restructuring and sustained investment inflows in high-tech manufacturing.

Government proposes special mechanisms to unblock APEC 2027 projects in Phu Quoc

Government proposes special mechanisms to unblock APEC 2027 projects in Phu Quoc

The projects in Phu Quoc have been implemented under tight deadlines. Since May 2025, the Prime Minister has directed preparations for APEC 2027, including accelerated infrastructure development on the special zone. An Giang province and investors have subsequently launched a number of major projects involving complex technical requirements and demanding construction schedules.

Financial market reform plan targets high, sustained growth through 2045

Financial market reform plan targets high, sustained growth through 2045

The plan seeks to develop a balanced and modern financial market that is closely integrated with regional and global markets, strengthens the mobilisation and allocation of domestic and foreign capital, and enhances the market’s role as a key provider of medium- and long-term capital for the economy and as a major driver of sustained high economic growth.

An Giang aims to become leading maritime economic hub

An Giang aims to become leading maritime economic hub

Under the province's master plan for 2021–2030 with a vision to 2050, An Giang will prioritise investment in five strategic sectors: strategic infrastructure; processing industries and clean energy; trade, services, logistics and border-gate economy; high-quality tourism; and high-tech agriculture, ecological development and the circular economy.