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Unique design key to Japanese market
While Japan stands as one of Viet Nam's largest importers of handicrafts, there is still potential to further increase sales in that particular market, according to Do Kim Lang, Deputy Director of the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade's.
Speaking at a conference held yesterday, Lang urged local handicraft producers to continue to study Japanese customs and learn their market demands in order to maximise business opportunities.
Improving quality and diversifying designs should be the top priority as competition for Vietnamese arts and handicrafts continued to rise, Lang said.
Kohei Takata, a leading expert in the Japanese design industry agreed. He said design was the biggest challenge facing Vietnamese handicraft producers.
If the country intends to conquer the Japanese market, the Vietnamese must export products in alignment with the design standards of Japanese consumers. In addition, Vietnamese producers need to improve the abilities of their designers.
Managing director Setsuko Okura of Japan's Osmic Limited Company said Viet Nam should decide whether it will produce and export large quantities of handicrafts or whether it will focus on producing smaller quantities of unique products with the potential for higher export prices. Okura noted that unique products were more aligned with Japanese consumer taste.
Other trade experts at the conference said that companies needed to pay closer attention to meeting delivery deadlines, maintaining product quality and complying with import regulations.
They should also take advantage of the information resources provided by trade promotion agencies in order to have up-to-date information on the Japanese market.
Viet Nam is targeting US$150 million worth of arts and handicrafts to be exported to Japan this year, which would account for 4 per cent of the Japanese demand. This figure is lower than Viet Nam's potential in this sector.
Lang concluded the conference by assuring companies that the Trade Promotion Agency would continue to support exports to Japan and South Korea.
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