To implement the foreign affairs program approved by the Prime Minister, Minister of Construction Trần Hồng Minh led a Ministry of Construction delegation to Japan from October 15 to October 16, 2025. The purpose of the visit was to promote cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in the fields of urban development, water supply and drainage, wastewater treatment, and climate change adaptation in the construction sector.
On October 15, 2025, the delegation held a working session with Mr. Ishii Hiroyuki, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan (MLIT). During the meeting, Minister Trần Hồng Minh highlighted four key issues aimed at expanding technical cooperation in the field of urban infrastructure: improving the legal framework for drainage and wastewater treatment and addressing climate change.
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Minister Tran Hong Minh, Deputy Minister Ishii Hiroyuki and members of the working delegation of the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam and the Ministry of MLIT took a photo.
Proposal to expand cooperation in the field of drainage and wastewater treatment infrastructure
Minister Trần Hồng Minh emphasized that the technical cooperation project between the Ministry of Construction and MLIT, JICA on “Enhancing the capacity to improve the Legal Framework for Urban Drainage and Wastewater Management” (2023-2026) is one of the key projects contributing to strengthening Vietnam’s institutional and management capacity.
To ensure the project’s progress and effectiveness, the Minister proposed JICA considered to extend the project by one year, until the end of December 2027; and supported MoC in terms of experts, technical resources, and developing and finalizing a new legal framework for the sector.
Minh emphasized the need to apply cost-effective and environmentally friendly wastewater treatment technologies for small and medium-sized cities. He also proposed that Japan support a pilot project using non-refundable ODA funding for one city in Vietnam, aiming to develop a model for wastewater treatment and reuse that met environmental standards and regulations; harnessing the value of sludge from drainage systems and wastewater treatment plants to produce construction materials, fuel, or fertilizer. This project is expected to serve as a model for other cities, contributing to the development of a circular infrastructure system, emission reduction, and the promotion of a green economy.
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Minister Tran Hong Minh spoke at the working session.
Development of a National Database on Urban Drainage
Minister Trần Hồng Minh also proposed that the Japanese side support Vietnam in developing a unified electronic database for the drainage system, ensuring transparency and accessibility of information.
Vietnam is in the process of completing the technical data system to serve the management and operation of the drainage system, but still lacks a synchronous platform. Meanwhile, Japan has already established a "Sewerage Data Room" system operated by MLIT, providing public data on works, maintenance rates, treatment capacity and technical indicators. This model serves as a value reference for Vietnam to learn from, to gradually digitize national drainage data and move towards digital data management for the entire industry.
Lessons from Japan: A Comprehensive Urban Flood Prevention Policy
During the working session, the Japanese side shared their experiences in urban flood prevention in major Japanese cities. According to MLIT, the current focus is shifting from a infrastructure-based approach to an integrated model “infrastructure – data – community,” with close coordination among ministries, local governments, and the public. This is the approach that Japan hopes to share with Vietnam within the framework of its cooperation with MLIT and JICA.
At the end of the working session, Minister Tran Hong Minh highly appreciated Japan's commitment and experience in urban infrastructure management, especially drainage and flood control systems. The two sides agreed to closely coordinate in promoting technical cooperation projects, researching and human resource training towards the goal of developing safe, sustainable and climate-resilient urban areas.
“Vietnam hopes to learn from Japan’s discipline, systematic approach, and long-term vision in urban management,” Minh emphasized, expressing his belief that the Vietnam-Japan partnership in the field of infrastructure will enter a new phase - deeper, broader, and more substantive.