Ho Chi Minh City, Jan. 27 -- In 2025, Japanese companies operating in Vietnam posted their highest profit outlook in 15 years, reflecting strong business momentum despite persistent barriers related to institutions, administrative procedures, and human resources, according to a survey released on January 26 by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

JETRO's 2025 Survey on the Business Conditions of Japanese Companies Investing Overseas shows that 67.5% of Japanese firms in Vietnam expect to be profitable this year, up 3.4 percentage points from 2024 and the highest level since 2009.

Notably, this is the first time in five years that Vietnam has outperformed the ASEAN average of 65.3%. Meanwhile, the proportion of firms forecastin...