In 2010 alone, Vietnam earned US$235 million from shipping in plastic products to the Japanese market, up 27.7 percent compared to the previous year. Total plastics exports are estimated to reach US$255 million this year.

At a recent seminar in HCM City organised by the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, many delegates said that Vietnam’s proportion of plastic exports to the Japanese market still remains modest.

Japan is one of the world’s demanding markets regarding quality control, and some  Vietnamese businesses cannot meet its quality requirements because they lack information and experience.

In order to develop the plastics sector sustainably, they said Vietnamese businesses should devise an investment strategy for modern technologies, conduct research and survey potential markets.

They also suggested that Vietnamese businesses should also co-ordinate with Japanese and international trade organizations to receive support in terms of market information and learn about the quality control regulations and administrative procedures.