Although Japan and Vietnam are being affected by the global economic downturn, 400,000 Japanese tourists have visited Vietnam so far this year.

According to Vietnam Airlines’ representative office in Japan, the carrier has so far this year earned around US$200 million from transporting Japanese tourists and goods to Vietnam.

The north-east Asian nation is currently the biggest market for Vietnam Airlines, which expects to welcome 440,000 passengers next year and 600,000 in the next three years.

The carrier has boosted cooperation with Japanese travel agents and relevant agencies to hold cultural and tourism events to attract Japanese tourists to Vietnam.

It now provides six direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Japan’s four major cities, namely Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.