Dong Nai Delegation Visits and Studies Green Economic Development Models in Kobe, Japan

​(News Portal – Dong Nai) – A delegation from Dong Nai province, led by Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, Mr. Quan Minh Cuong, recently completed a visit to the coastal city of Kobe, Japan, to exchange knowledge and experience. Accompanying the delegation was Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoang, who served as the deputy leader, along with leaders from several provincial departments.

Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Masao Imanishi, Deputy Mayor of Kobe, remarked that Dong Nai province and Kobe share similarities, both following the direction of a "global city" with specific objectives such as focusing on green and smart industrial development, prioritizing environmental protection programs for sustainable development, and becoming ideal locations for experts, students, and workers to live, work, research, and study.

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Field Visit to the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Hydrogen Gas Production Facility in Higashinada. Photo: Xuan Nuong  

During the visit, the delegation toured key locations showcasing Kobe's green development, including the Hydrogen Co-generation System and the world's first liquid hydrogen receiving terminal (Hy Touch Kobe). These two projects, spearheaded by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., aim to provide and utilize liquid hydrogen as a replacement for non-renewable energy sources, ensuring progress towards the Net-zero goal.
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Taken at the Liquid Hydrogen Terminal. Photo: Xuan Nuong 

The delegation also visited the Minatojima Clean Center, which processes waste using advanced incineration technology to generate electricity from the energy produced during waste treatment. Additionally, they toured the Higashinada Wastewater Treatment Plant, which processes domestic wastewater from a portion of Kobe's residents. Other industrial zones visited include areas within the Kobe New Urban Development Project, featuring scientifically planned districts: a research and development (R&D) park adjacent to a mixed residential complex, home to companies engaged in R&D; the Kobe High-Tech Zone, located near the highway and home to a diverse range of manufacturers; and the Kobe Techno Logistics Area, which is adjacent to the industrial zone and distribution area, offering convenient facilities near the railway station.

Touring and learning about the waste-to-energy process using incineration technology. Photo: Xuan Nuong  

Based on the detailed presentations and guided tours provided by the management teams of these projects, members of the Dong Nai delegation raised many questions and exchanged views, seeking to clarify the innovations and successful outcomes achieved by Kobe in green growth. These insights will serve as inspiration for Dong Nai's own development plans.  

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The waste-to-energy process at Minatojima Clean Center, Kobe City. Photo: Xuan Nuong 

Representatives of the Kobe city government explained that as state officials, they oversee the integration of various activities: waste treatment for electricity generation, using the electricity to operate wastewater treatment systems, and using treated wastewater for dust suppression during waste incineration. Wastewater from the waste treatment plant is also sent to wastewater treatment facilities for further processing. Biogas produced during the biological treatment of wastewater and sludge is used as fuel for transportation and domestic heating, while treated water is reused for landscape irrigation and fire prevention, among other purposes. This is a key part of the circular economy approach and industrial symbiosis, which Dong Nai is interested in adopting for its green and eco-industrial parks. Unlike industrial zones in Viet Nam, Kobe's model integrates waste treatment, energy regeneration, supplying reusable or recycled materials, and supporting research and industrial production within the logistics area. Investors in these zones only need to comply with national standards and commit to certain agreements when participating in programs proposed for the industrial zones.

On behalf of Dong Nai province, Mr. Quan Minh Cuong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial National Assembly delegation, welcomed Japanese investors and experts, particularly from Kobe, to collaborate and expand environmental protection initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions. These efforts align with international commitments made by both Viet Nam and Japan, and the agreements already signed between the parties will help bring these goals to fruition.