The commitment was made at a meeting with a Sumitomo delegation led by General Director Eita Fujikawa, who was in the city to survey the market and explore cooperation and investment opportunities.

Fujikawa said the Japanese conglomerate is keenly interested in high-value-added industries and green energy, sectors where Sumitomo believes it can make a meaningful contribution to Vietnam’s economic growth in the coming period. He noted that Sumitomo currently operates three industrial parks in Vietnam, is preparing to break ground on a fourth, and has another joint-venture project, bringing the total to five.

Most of the group’s existing investments are concentrated in northern Vietnam, Fujikawa said, adding the visit offers an opportunity to assess potential expansion in the south, particularly in Can Tho.

Akito Shiraishi, a senior Sumitomo executive, said he was impressed by Can Tho’s transport infrastructure, noting that travel time from Ho Chi Minh City took just 2.5 hours, faster than he had expected. He stressed that building industrial parks is only the starting point and the core objective is to attract foreign direct investment and secondary investors to generate sustainable economic value.

With more than 240 tenants and over 3 billion USD in registered capital across its existing industrial parks, he said Sumitomo believes close coordination with local authorities will be crucial to achieving similar success in Can Tho, he added.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Canh Tuyen said the city is ready to welcome leading Japanese corporations.

Briefing the guest on the region's potential, he stated that Can Tho spans more than 6,360 square kilometres with a population exceeding 4.2 million, and serves as the economic, cultural, and science-and-technology hub of the Mekong Delta, enjoying strategic advantages in transport, logistics and regional connectivity.

By the end of 2025, the province had hosted 13 Japanese-invested projects with a total registered capital of about 1.65 billion USD, including the O Mon II thermal power plant and an AEON Mall shopping centre. Exports from Can Tho to Japan reached 282.9 million USD in 2025, driven by high-quality rice, seafood and garments.

On industrial development planning, Tuyen said the city has approved plans for 27 additional industrial parks, including 15 larger than 500 hectares, grouped into three key sub-regions. These areas benefit from proximity to major transport routes such as the Chau Doc–Can Tho–Soc Trang expressway, National Highway 1, the Tran De deep-water port and Can Tho International Airport.

To address investor concerns about living and recreational amenities, the city is planning five modern golf courses near key industrial parks, taking advantage of recent policy adjustments related to land use.

Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy Secretary of the Can Tho Party Committee and head of the city’s delegation of National Assembly deputies, said Can Tho meets Sumitomo’s requirements, including large land availability, streamlined administrative procedures and attractive investment incentives.

City leaders urged Sumitomo to assess surveyed sites and move toward an official investment decision, helping position Can Tho as a hub for modern and sustainable industrial development./.