A two-day seminar between Vanuatu and Japan has been held in Port Vila, with the aim of lifting Japanese investment in the country and strengthening bilateral economic ties.

Currently, only around 1% of total foreign direct investment in Vanuatu comes from Japanese companies. The seminar was organised to explore investment opportunities, promote public-private partnerships, and build stronger business exchanges between the two countries.

In his opening remarks, the Minister of Trade said Vanuatu is pushing for greater cooperation with Japan and encouraged Japanese companies in civil engineering, construction, infrastructure and other sectors to work directly with local authorities.

Chief Executive Officer of the Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (VFIPA), Raymond Vuti, described the seminar as a milestone, following years of efforts to strengthen the investment relationship. He said more than 30 Japanese investors attended the event to discuss potential areas of cooperation and to encourage new investment.

“Currently, Japanese companies represent only about 1% of foreign direct investment in Vanuatu. But I believe this event will set the foundation for more investment from Japan,” Mr. Vuti said.

Government departments also made presentations on the status of Vanuatu’s economy and identified areas where Japanese investors could contribute.

Director of the Pacific Islands Center, Ryuzou Saito, reaffirmed their mission to promote trade and partnerships, noting that the outcomes of the seminar will help highlight opportunities in Vanuatu to Japanese stakeholders.

One of the challenges raised during the seminar was the need to secure land or sites for investment projects. The Government has confirmed that development of an Economic Development Zone is a priority project and will be tabled during the next parliamentary session in November.

Officials said the program will strengthen economic ties between Vanuatu and Japan, while also paving the way for long-term development and resilience.