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Japan is
going all-out to market its nuclear power plants to Vietnam, seeing a successful
outcome as crucial to future exports in the field.
Japan's
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Masayuki Naoshima arrived in this
Southeast Asian nation on Tuesday. He was accompanied by the heads of eight
private-sector firms, including Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Toshiba Corp.
Naoshima met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
on Wednesday, in addition to senior officials of the nation's Communist Party,
to urge Vietnam
to place orders with Japanese companies for two planned nuclear reactors. He
touted Japan's
advanced technologies and safety record in this field.
"We're ready to offer any kind of assistance, including
financing and personnel training," Naoshima told Dung.
Dung limited his response to saying that Vietnam will seriously consider Japan's offer.
Naoshima told reporters after the meeting that he hopes to achieve some
progress at the bilateral summit meeting slated for October.
The two also discussed an accord that would restrict nuclear
technology use to peaceful purposes, a prerequisite for Japan to
conduct exports. Vietnam has
already signed similar agreements with such rivals in the field as South Korea and France,
but it is still in preliminary talks with Japan, according to Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Dung was receptive to Naoshima's calls for
the two sides to hold negotiations soon.
Vietnam
plans to build 14 nuclear reactors by 2030, and Japan seeks to receive an order for
two reactors slated to begin operating around 2021. Considering the lead time
needed for construction, Vietnam
is expected to award the order for the two reactors within a year or so.
By Thuy Hang
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