The schedule was announced during a meeting on July 8 between leaders of the Ninh Binh People's Committee and representatives of AEON Vietnam, led by Hagino Tatsuya, deputy general manager for project development.

According to AEON Vietnam, the shopping mall will be built at the intersection of 68M Road and 42M Road in Phu Ly ward, with a total investment of approximately VND940 billion (about US$36 million) and a gross floor area of around 26,000 square metres.

Construction is expected to begin in August 2026, with the mall scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.

The company said it is working with provincial authorities to complete all required procedures and ensure the project proceeds on schedule.

AEON Vietnam reaffirmed its commitment to allocating sufficient resources and coordinating closely with local agencies to accelerate the remaining administrative procedures, aiming to contribute to the province's commercial and socio-economic development.

Provincial leaders welcomed the company's progress and urged relevant agencies to continue supporting the project so construction can begin as planned.

The provincial administration also expressed confidence that once the Phu Ly shopping mall becomes operational, AEON will consider further expanding its investment in Ninh Binh, helping improve retail services and stimulate local economic growth.

AEON has identified Vietnam as one of its key strategic markets, aiming to expand its business scale in the country to more than three times its current size by 2030.

Under this strategy, the Japanese retail group plans to continue developing various retail formats, expanding beyond major metropolitan areas into provincial markets to bring high-quality products and services closer to consumers.

Vietnam is currently AEON's largest revenue-generating market in Southeast Asia and its second-largest overseas market, after China.

The Japanese group operates eight shopping malls in Vietnam, including AEON Mall Tan Phu Celadon, AEON Mall Binh Tan, AEON Mall Binh Duong Canary, AEON Mall Long Bien, AEON Mall Ha Dong, AEON Mall Hai Phong Le Chan, AEON Mall Hue, and most recently AEON Tan An in Long An, now part of Tay Ninh province following the administrative reorganisation.

Source: VOV