Vietnamese students in "ao dai" performance at the festival (Photo: VNA)

In opening the festival on November 4, Mayor ofFukushima Kohata Hiroshi expressed his pleasure at the development offriendship between the city and Vietnam.

He said in June 2019, Fukushima welcomedVietnamese athletes to train for

Tokyo’s Olympic

and Paralympic Games nextyear.

As a “host town” of Vietnam, Fukushima hasinvited the Vietnamese women’s football team and plans to invite the VietnamU19 squad to train in Japan, he added.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Namexpressed his deep sympathy with Fukushima people who were seriously affectedby Typhoon Hagibis last month, and said he hoped they will soon overcome theconsequences of the natural disaster.

Regarding relations between Vietnamese andFukushima localities, the ambassador said Vietnam has started importing pearsfrom the Japanese prefecture.

He said he was glad to know that many Vietnamesepeople have chosen Fukushima to live and work.

After the opening ceremony, participants engagedin special cultural and art performances staged by Vietnamese and Japaneseartists.

Visitors also had an opportunity to tastetraditional Vietnamese food./.VNA