The city will coordinate with agencies, organisations and individuals to increase cultural exchange with Japan as the plan aims to attract more tourists f-rom the country of cherry blossoms, said Truong Van Bay, Vice Chairman of the Hoi An municipal People’s Committee. 

Similarities in customs, practices and beliefs between the two countries will be taken into account in the plan, Bay said. 

Many Japanese entrepreneurs had lived and run business in Hoi An since the 16 th -17 th century and left their influence in the city up to now, including many pieces of Hizen pottery and Bridge pagoda, which was built by Japanese businessmen in the 17 th century. 

According to preliminary statistics, Japanese arrivals to Hoi An numbered nearly 16,000 a year between 2006 and 2010, ranking sixth of the total number of visitors to the city. 

The seminar was part of the Vietnam-Japan Cultural Exchange jointly held by the Hoi An People’s Committee and the Japan International Cooperation Agency./.