Vietnam will relax Economic Needs Test (ENT) requirements for foreign retailers opening second and subsequent branches, effective October 18, 2026. This stems from CPTPP obligations to exempt certain countries like Japan. Major retailers including AEON, FamilyMart, and FujiMart plan significant expansion—AEON targets 300 supermarkets by February 2031. The relaxation addresses longstanding bottlenecks that delayed foreign retailer branch openings; however, some Japanese firms remain cautious about full implementation.