Japan is fast expanding its footprint in Asia's growing retail, warehousing and courier service.
The Japanese retail services corporation, AEON, started operations in 2011 in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, which has a rapidly growing retail market.
After obtaining an investment certificate from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, it decided to open a shopping mall called Aeon Tan Phu Celadon.
The mall involves an investment of 100 million dollars, and it will be the largest suburban shopping and entertainment centre in Vietnam.
It will be located at Caladon City, a new urban township coming up in 82 hectares with some 8,000 residential units.
AEON will complete construction of the 82,000 sq meters mall in the first half of 2014 with 150 retail lots.
It includes food courts, amusement facilities and general merchandise shops.
Nishitoge Yasuo, General Director, AEON Vietnam Co. Ltd., said: "Demography in modern Vietnam shows that nuclear families dominate the postwar generation. We are targeting the youth to come to our shopping mall. On the other hand, there are few amusement facilities in town. Our shopping mall will provide amusement facilities where people can safely and comfortably enjoy themselves indoors. I am confident about satisfaction of consumers as there is increasing need of such facilities."
Many Japanese companies like Sagawa Express have established their businesses in Vietnam.
Sagawa Vietnam, which entered the country in 1997, is managing various logistics services such as fleet forwarding of Ocean Freight and air cargo, truck and warehouse business.
The company holds licenses related to logistics business in Vietnam in order to meet various corresponding needs.
Sagawa Vietnam has also started a door-to-door delivery service in the country since March 2012.
Satoaki Tsujimoto, Senior manager, SG Holdings Co. Ltd., said: "Sagawa Express Vietnam was originally established as a subsidiary of Hong-Kong's CFS Warehouse Company. Therefore, our warehouse business has strong roots. In addition to warehousing, we have started door-to-door home delivery service, B to C delivery service, as well as B to B service. Sagawa Express has started B to B delivery service with plans to provide efficient and reliable service to business offices."
The company is planning to expand its logistics business in Vietnam.
Junji Shimasaki,General Director, Sagawa Express Vietnam, said: "We aim to provide quality home delivery service in Vietnam just as we do in Japan. Recently, we have started both B to B and B to C delivery services. We have already started cash on delivery service, especially for B to C home delivery. We are looking to provide efficient Japanese quality delivery services in Vietnam."
Many Japanese companies are enthusiastic about investment in developing countries across Asia.
Opportunities exist in retail, manufacturing and logistics services, and the Japanese are looking to expand their footprint in these sectors.
