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| President Vo Van Thuong and his wife received the Japanese Crown Prince and Crown Princess visiting Vietnam in September 2023. (Source: VNA) |
Could you please share your expectations about the official visit to Japan by President Vo Van Thuong and his wife?
In 2023, Japan and Vietnam will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in the context of the two countries' relations developing strongly in all fields such as politics, economy and culture. I believe that President Vo Van Thuong's visit to Japan at such an important time will be of historical significance and become one of the most outstanding highlights of the anniversary year.
Not only looking back at the progress in Japan-Vietnam relations up to now, this visit also conveys the message that cooperation between Japan and Vietnam is not only a bilateral relationship, but is becoming a relationship that can jointly contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.
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| Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio. (Photo: QT) |
Economically, Japan wants to support Japanese companies to continue investing in Vietnam in the context of Vietnam's economic growth and supply chain shift. Vietnam and Japan are two countries that have trained highly skilled human resources in the field of information technology.
Japan sees the potential for the two countries to become innovation partners in green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX). In addition, Japan also wants to create momentum to restore ODA funding, especially in infrastructure cooperation.
Besides, politically, Japan affirms that Vietnam is an important partner in realizing the goal of a "free and open Indo-Pacific".
As the situation in areas such as the South China Sea becomes increasingly complex, Japan will deepen cooperation to maintain and strengthen the free and open international order based on the rule of law.
Regarding people-to-people and cultural exchanges, the exchange of visits between the two countries at all levels is increasing rapidly, including visits by state leaders. There are about 500,000 Vietnamese people living in Japan. In the future, we will further promote cultural, sports and tourism exchanges between the younger generations and between localities, and expand the scope of people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
The year 2023 is coming to an end with many meaningful events celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in both countries. Could you share your impressions about the journey of "telling the story of Japan - Vietnam" over the past year?
The highlight of the year celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic relations is the visit to Vietnam by Crown Prince Akishino and the Princess in September and the visit to Japan this time by President Vo Van Thuong and his wife.
Many events commemorating the 50th anniversary took place over the past year, symbolizing that Japan-Vietnam relations are at their best ever. These include Japanese and Vietnamese festivals held in many provinces and cities across Japan and Vietnam; seminars in various fields such as Meet Japan and high-level economic seminars co-hosted by Japan and Vietnam; and rich cultural exchanges such as Kyogen performances and the opera Princess Anio, highlighting the long history of ties between the two countries.
| "I hope that when looking back on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic relations, future generations will evaluate this anniversary year as a meaningful year in laying the foundation for the relationship between the two countries, which holds limitless potential, to develop even further, towards the future, reaching out to the world as partners of equal status." |
I have shared many times that the relationship between our two countries is increasingly close and developing rapidly. This development is not only taking place in the political and economic fields, but also lies in the understanding and empathy between people, which originates from the long-standing historical and cultural ties between the two countries. Through the series of events commemorating the 50th anniversary, I hope that many people will once again discover and recognize specific examples of understanding and empathy between Japan and Vietnam.
I hope that, when looking back on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic relations, future generations will evaluate this anniversary year as a meaningful year in laying the foundation for the relationship between the two countries, which holds limitless potential, to develop even further, towards the future, reaching out to the world as partners of equal standing.
What are your expectations for the new "investment wave" of Japan in Vietnam in the coming time when the two countries are promoting practical policies to boost investment?
Currently, I see Japan-Vietnam relations at their best in history. Economically, Japanese manufacturing is expanding its presence, especially in Vietnam, amid the shift in global supply chains. The retail sector is also focusing on tapping into Vietnam’s domestic demand as the population exceeds 100 million and the middle class grows.
I strongly expect that investment and business activities of Japanese companies, which are making great contributions to Vietnam's economic development, will become more vibrant in the energy sector and the above industries.
In addition, the Japanese Government wishes to restore ODA capital and support infrastructure development to contribute to improving Vietnam's investment environment.
In the future, Japan will further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in both the public and private sectors in areas such as green transformation (GX), innovation, digital transformation (DX), industrialization, modernization, and human resource training.
Vietnam’s strong economic development will also be an advantage for Japan. Although Vietnam still has problems to solve, the Japanese Government and people will always accompany Vietnam’s development in the next 50 years as a partner with a strong relationship.
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