One third of Vietnam’s total fine arts and handicrafts earnings have come from exports to Japan, which is considered a potential market for local businesses to explore.

The figure was reported at a seminar in Hanoi on January 17 to promote the exports of these products to Japan.

According to Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Le Danh Vinh, fine art and handicraft products are among ten leading potential export items of the country. The products have been exported to 136 countries and territories with a growth rate of over 20 percent a year.

The country now has over 2,000 craft villages, 1.4 million households and about 1,000 enterprises with a total of 13 million workers invilved in production, import and export activities.

According to Ken Akrawa, a senior expert from the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Vietnamese enterprises should continue to study Japanese customs, consumer attitudes, market demands and distribution system.

They should also pay more attention to ensuring delivery time and product quality as well as import regulations, he said.