Vietnam's government has waived the Economic Needs Test (ENT) for CPTPP member nations—particularly Japan—effective October 18, removing a months-long bottleneck in foreign retail expansion approvals. Major Japanese retailers (Aeon, FamilyMart, Uniqlo, Saeki Selva Holdings) are accelerating store rollout plans in response to Vietnam's 10%+ annual retail growth. While the move signals serious CPTPP implementation, some operators remain cautious about practical execution and additional regulatory hurdles.