Authorities of southern Binh Duong Province are working on a large project to build a metro line that links the province to Ho Chi Minh City, with capital sources expected to come from the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA).  After hearing reports from concerned agencies about preparations that have been made for the project, the provincial People’s Committee yesterday said the land fund for the project has been made available and authorities have proposed that the Government use an ODA source for the project. The metro line is expected to start from Binh Duong’s Thu Dau Mot Town and run parallel to the My Phuoc-Tan Van Expressway before connecting with the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line, the first line in HCMC in particular and Vietnam in general, which began construction in late August 2012 and will be completed in 2017 at a cost of US$2.4 billion. Project consultants suggested that urban areas, including residential, schooling and recreational  areas, located along the line should be upgraded and developed to contribute to making the metro line more attractive to the public and also enhancing the overall social and economic efficiency of the project. On February 27, during a meeting with Binh Duong authorities, Takumi Onuma, chief of the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said Japan would help Binh Duong build an ODA-funded metro line linking to HCMC for the benefit of local socio-economic development. Vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Tran Thanh Liem, said he wishes that the Japanese government will continue to support ODA capital for Binh Duong in order to construct its infrastructure, including the proposed metro lines. Japan ranks second among 37 countries and territories investing in Binh Duong, with 171 projects in operation and a total registered capital of over US$3 billion.