On November 13, 2024, the Vietnam-Japan Human Resource Development Institute (VJCC) at Foreign Trade University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hokuriku Bank, a key member of the Hokuhoku Financial Group (Japan), Vietnam Branch.

This event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration and exchange of development ideas between VJCC and Hokuriku Bank's leadership over the past year.

The event was attended by representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including Mr. Nishikawa Naotaka – Senior Project Formation Advisor, JICA Vietnam Office; representatives from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), including Mr. Yuji Imamura – Investment Promotion Advisor, JICA Expert; and a delegation from Hokuriku Bank, including Mr. Hiroshi Nakazawa – Chairman of the Bank, Mr. Taichi Yamada – Chief Representative of the Bank’s Ho Chi Minh City Office, Mr. Kyousuke Hayashi – Deputy Director of the Bank's Kanazawa Branch, and Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Binh An – Secretary of the Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City.

Representing VJCC were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien – Director of VJCC; Mr. Yoneda Kazuhiro – Chief Advisor of the VJCC Project; and Ms. Tran Thi Kieu Minh – Deputy Director of VJCC.

The ceremony also welcomed representatives from enterprises and partners of Hokuriku Bank who are alumni of VJCC's KEIEIJUKU Program, such as Mr. Luong Quoc Anh – Executive Director of GK Logistics Vietnam.

Established in 1877, Hokuriku Bank is the largest regional bank in the Northwest of Japan, with 151 branches across Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures. The bank also boasts a robust network of Japanese and international corporate clients, including over 200 companies in Vietnam. Committed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2019, Hokuhoku Financial Group aims to expand sustainable initiatives through collaborations like this partnership with VJCC.

The MOU emphasizes creating an environment for trade and business cooperation between entrepreneurs and local leaders, fostering multi-sector collaboration, particularly in digital technology and innovation. Through this MOU, Hokuriku Bank commits to acting as a bridge for Japanese businesses to connect with potential partners within VJCC's business community in Vietnam.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien expressed her appreciation for the amicable cooperation with Hokuriku Bank's leadership and expressed hope that the MOU would enhance the legal framework for partnerships between Vietnamese businesses in the KEIEIJUKU community and companies in Japan's Northwest provinces, bringing tangible benefits to both nations.

At the signing ceremony, Mr. Hiroshi Nakazawa – Chairman of Hokuriku Bank – affirmed, “This MOU not only opens up new opportunities for our clients but also strengthens economic cooperation between Vietnam and Japan on a solid foundation.”

The event concluded successfully, adding a new milestone to VJCC’s efforts to expand international partnerships with Japanese organizations and businesses.