Japonica rice accounts for about 20 percent of the total rice production area and about 12 percent of the export rice market in the world. Due to economic development, rice consumption in many Asian countries tend to decrease, while consumption of high-quality rice, including Japonica rice, has increased rapidly, especially in China. Vietnam is the second largest rice exporter in the world and China is the largest importer of rice from Vietnam in recent years. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development promotes policy to expand production of high quality rice to enhance export earnings for the farmers. Through genetic analysis, the Vietnamese and international scientists have identified that numerous japonica rice cultivars have been originated and cultivated in Vietnam with so many varieties distributed in the Northern mountainous provinces and in the Central Highlands. Therefore, study on genetic improvement and production of Japonica rice have practical, historical, evolution and scientific bases. The Institute of Agricultural Genetics in collaboration with the another rice breeding institutions and companies has developed research and field testing of Japonica rice varieties in different ecological zones in the country. As results, 5 new Japonica rice varieties have been released for production with average yield from 60.0 to 70.0 quintals/ ha. In some provinces, such as Thai Binh, Dong Thap, An Giang, the yield of Japonica Variety DS1 may reached 10.0 tons / ha. Japonica rice production could contribute to rice export from Vietnam with a possible export value of 800 - 1500 USD / ton. The recent achievements in Japonica rice breeding, current market trends and prospects of Japonica rice research and production in Vietnam has discussed.