August 3, 2005

Vietnam sees Japan as long term seafood export market

Vietnam needs to maintain Japan as a long-term seafood export market, according to industry reports.

Also, the Vietnamese government said that Japan would simplify export-import procedures in October. Thus, the country's exporters were expected to gain greater access to the Japanese market.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the biggest competitors to Vietnamese seafood in Japan's market were Indonesia and India. However, it also considered Vietnamese seafood to be more competitive in terms of quality, which Japanese importers considered to be the most important factor.

The association added that Vietnamese exporters needed to pay particular attention to quality and food safety, to meet this year's US$800 million seafood export target to Japan, and maintain the country as a long-term seafood export market.