At the Vietnam-Japan Digital Technology Forum 2026 in Tokyo, Vietnam and Japan indicated their intention to expand their areas of cooperation from their longstanding software partnership into joint product development and research and development.
Vietnam and Japan confirmed their intention to expand cooperation into deeper technological research and development and joint product development, building on their track record of software cooperation. The forum highlighted that more than 300 Vietnamese companies provide products and services to the Japanese market, of which more than 100 have a base in Japan.
As a new direction for cooperation, a shift toward a co-creation model was proposed, extending beyond service provision and talent development to include basic research and joint product development. Companies from both countries would be able to participate at every stage, from identifying issues through design and testing to productisation and commercialisation, with the aim of strengthening value creation.
The forum identified four key areas: modernisation of core systems and productivity improvement, assessing the practical applications of generative AI and AI agents, joint research and development in advanced technologies, and AI talent development. This was presented as likely to extend Vietnam-Japan cooperation into areas beyond software.
The Digital Technology Forum highlighted efforts by research institutions, universities and industry to work together to define and select specific challenges. The stated aim was to turn joint development projects into concrete initiatives and link them to commercialisation through demonstrations and individual business meetings.