VINACHEM

HA NOI — An agreement to foster capital exchanges between Viet Nam and Japan is slated to be signed here today by the Japan Asia Group, Aizawa Securities, United Investment, Japan Securities, MB Capital and Thang Long Securities Joint Stock Co.

The parties to the agreement intend to step up co-operation in attracting Japanese indirect investment into Viet Nam through securities and real estate investment funds.

They would also co-ordinate in offering brokerage services and developing banking services, as well as providing firms which desired to list shares on the other country's stock marets with consultancy services.

"The agreement will be our first step on the way to approaching regional and international capital markets, " said Thang Long Securities Co deputy general director Quach Manh Hao.

The establishment of the US$100 millio Viet Nam Dream Fund in Japan and the VND200 billion ($10.5 million) MB Japan Asia Fund in Viet Nam were also slated to be announced during the event. Japan Securities Inc (JSI) and Thang Long Securities Co (TLS) woul be brokers for the funds in Viet Nam.

"Despite increasing attention to Viet Nam'smarket, Japanese firms are yet able to access reliable and inadequate information necessary to penetrate this potential market," Hao said.

The two funds, which would be operational next month, would bridge business opportunities between Vietnamese and Japanese capital markets, Hao added.

JSI is Japan's first securities company in Viet Nam with Japanese partners holding a 49-per-cent stake, said JSI general director Norio Yokoyama.

"The signing ceremony marks the closer co-operation between JSI and TLS and proves JSI's efforts to promote Viet Nam's securities market and attract Japanese investment capital into Viet Nam," said Yokoyama.

(Source: VNS)