Optex Joins the JICA SME and SDGs Business Support Program, and Starts the Dissemination and Verification of Solutions for Water Environments in Vietnam

Optex Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, President & CEO: Toru Kamimura, hereinafter “Optex”), has joined the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) SME and SDGs Business Support Program*, under which we have been running a Dissemination and Verification Program since December 2018.
For five days from March 23, 2019 Optex will invite three people from the Northern Environment Monitoring Center of the Vietnam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to Japan, where they will learn about the history of Lake Biwa and water quality monitoring initiatives in Shiga prefecture. The participants will also be able to actually check the water quality of Lake Biwa, and use our simple water quality measurement system WATER it to analyze the water quality.


The deterioration of water environments, which is due to an increase in industrial wastewater associated with progressive urbanization and industrialization in recent years, has become a problem in Vietnam. Although the Vietnam government has set up relevant legal systems and strengthened monitoring systems to address the problem, the fact remains that in addition to lacking adequate wastewater treatment facilities and technologies, the country is having difficulty in securing a sufficient budget and enough human resources. Subsequently, despite these efforts, there has been little progress in the improvement of water quality in Vietnam.
As a part of the JICA Program, for the next two years Optex will introduce the WATER it system into the Cau river basin in northern Vietnam. We will verify the usefulness of this system, with a view to developing future business in Vietnam. WATER it is being combined with existing water quality management methods to build new water quality monitoring initiatives. We anticipate WATER it will also play a part in strengthening systems for monitoring water environments.

WATER it for Quick Test & Monitoring Water Quality Measurement System

WATER it is a data management system that measures water quality in a series of steps. It consists of a water quality measurement kit and sensors that can easily and numerically measure the quality of responsive water; it even automates the collection of water quality data.

• The SME and SDGs Business Support Program aims to resolve the issues facing developing nations through the business activities of Japanese companies. This Program assists in matching the technologies and services of participating companies with the needs of developing nations, and promotes the overseas expansion of Japanese corporations.

The SME and SDGs Business Support Program by JICA

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