Vietnam, Japan to negotiate economic partnership next week

A bilateral negotiation on an economic partnership agreement (EPA) between Vietnam and Japan will take place here from March 26-27, local newspaper Youth reported Tuesday.

During the two-day talks, following the first in Japan in January, the two sides are expected to focus their negotiations on expanding markets for exports of each country.

Vietnam wants Japan to reduce import taxes on local agricultural, forestry and fishery products, while Japan wants Vietnam to lower tariffs on industrial commodities, the newspaper quoted Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Norio Hattori as saying.

Vietnam also wants to send more local trainees and workers to Japan, he said.

Bilateral trade between the two countries is expected rise to 17 billion U.S. dollars in 2010 from nearly 10 billion dollars in 2006, local media said recently.

Vietnam exported nearly 6 billion dollars worth of goods, mainly crude oil, coal, textiles, garments, seafood and farm products, to Japan in 2006, according to the Vietnamese Trade Ministry.

Source: Xinhua