Japan, Vietnam boast thriving economic partnership

1 min readUpdated May 27, 2025Oct 20, 202011:02 PM

Japan has for years been one of Vietnam’s four largest economic partners, with their bilateral trade rising to nearly $40 billion last year.

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What this means

The surging bilateral trade between Japan and Vietnam, reaching nearly $40 billion last year, shows a significant and stable economic partnership. This strong growth presents clear opportunities for retailers seeking new markets or diversified supply chains. While the article notes Inditex closing 800 outlets worldwide, and Kedai Ayamas Eatery planning 100 more stores in Malaysia, Vietnam's strengthened ties with Japan offer a different kind of retail expansion driver, one focused on import/export and potentially increased consumer affluence. This partnership could fuel a new wave of Japanese retail investment in Vietnam, or Vietnamese brands expanding into Japan. The risk lies in overestimating direct consumer retail growth solely from trade figures without specific sector-level data. Watch for announcements of Japanese retail chains entering or expanding operations within Vietnam.

Rajiv Menon

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