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Japan to invest $20 bil. in clean energy projects in Vietnam

Mar 06, 2025 (News On Japan) - Japan has agreed to invest up to 20 billion dollars in low-carbon energy projects in Vietnam. This comes amid a regional push to reach carbon neutrality in the coming decades.

The countries held a meeting in Hanoi on Wednesday. They decided Japan would help fund 14 projects, including wind power plants. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and private companies will lead the investments.

Power shortages are common in Vietnam, particularly in the north. There are growing concerns this is hindering foreign investment in the country.

"We will create significant opportunities for cooperation in economy, trade and investment between businesses in our two countries," said Vietnamese Industry and Trade Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Long.

"Japan wants to provide maximum support so Japanese firms can take advantage of these opportunities and participate in Vietnam's decarbonization market," said Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki.

Vietnam aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It was also one of the countries--along with Japan--to adopt measures to accelerate decarbonization efforts at last year's Asia Zero Emission Community meeting.

But pursuing this goal while also expanding its power supply is a major challenge.

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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