Japan ambassador reaffirms ODA pledge to Vietnam
By Thanh Trung - The Saigon Times Daily
HANOI – The Japanese Government will continue to provide Vietnam with Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds through 2010 and in years to come, said Japan’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Mitsuo Sakaba.
He said Vietnam was one of Japan’s most significant strategic partners. 
At a press conference in Hanoi on Wednesday, Sakaba told the media that Japan had funded five projects in Vietnam worth US$285 million (approximately 25.8 billion yen), during the Japanese fiscal year (April 2009-March 2010). The projects include Noi Bai International Airport’s T2 Terminal, the Noi Bai - Nhat Tan Highway and the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park. ODA funds also paid for Can Tho bridge (phase two) and NR No. 1 Bridge Rehab.
Sakaba said that the T2 Terminal and Noi Bai – Nhat Tan Highway projects would play a key role in Japan’s ODA strategy for Vietnam.
“We do expect and will try our best to make sure these two projects are completed by the year 2014,” he said.
Sakaba also disclosed that both the T2 Terminal and Noi Bai – Nhat Tan Highway projects would benefit from a low 0.2% interest rate per year, with a 40-year lending period. A zero interest rate will be applied to the first ten years.
“The interest rate that Japan offers Vietnam in ODA projects is frequently very low, just around 1% per year,” he added.
Sakaba would not reveal Japan’s ODA plans for 2010 as he said the Japanese fiscal year would not start until April 2010.
He revealed that last year’s ODA loan equaled US$1.56 billion (145 billion yen).
He stressed the importance of forming Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to use ODA funds. He said the scheme would be applied to infrastructure projects, such as the Lach Huyen Sea Deepwater construction project in Hai Phong.
“The Japanese Government will continue to retain our strategic partnership relationship with Vietnam in the future. In this regard, we see ODA as a very important part in our assistance for your country,” Sakaba said.