The central province signed cooperation relationships with Nara Prefecture, Kyoto city, Gifu Prefecture in tourism, education and training, investment and trade.Japan is the biggest official development assistance (ODA) provider of Vietnam and Thua Thien Hue in particular. The province currently has six ODA projects financed by Japan.

In tourism, Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, said tourism cooperation between Thua Thien Hue and Japan has developed well in recent years.

In heritage preservation and renovation, Japan assisted Thua Thien Hue in preserving and restoring the Hue citadel’s palace buildings and tombs with the UNESCO Research Institute and some Japanese universities.

Seven Japanese foreign direct investment projects with combined investment of US$30.4 million are in operation in Thua Thien Hue, creating thousands of jobs. The projects are mainly operating in food processing, garment, information technology, engineering.

According to the conservation centre, from 2010 to 2015, the number of Japanese tourists to Thua Thien Hue increased steadily to reach 25,118 in 2016.