EconomyVietnamese have edge in Japanese skills but consultant also warns of visa hurdles, rising costsA Vietnamese technical trainee, left, works with a Japanese colleague at a manufacturing plant in Tobishima, Japan. October 2025. © KyodoHO CHI MINH CITY -- Vietnam has become indispensable to Japan's economy but faces long-term threats from artificial intelligence, rising costs and policy bottlenecks, according to Japanese consulting firm ABeam Consulting.