The Vietnam visit is part of Kishida’s Southeast Asia tour to realize Japan’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific and enhance coordination on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

This is his first visit to Vietnam after he took office last October.

While in Hanoi, PM Kishida is scheduled to hold talks with PM Pham Minh Chinh on May 1.

He will also have meetings with other senior Vietnamese leaders, including Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic ties in 1973, and they raised their relations to a level of Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia in 2014.

Japan was the first G7 country that recognized Vietnam’s market economy status in October 2011. It is Vietnam’s leading economic partner, the largest ODA donor, the third largest tourism partner, and the fourth largest trade partner.

Bilateral trade turnover reached US$42.7 billion last year. As of March 20, Japan had 4,828 valid FDI projects in Vietnam with a total registered investment capital of more than US$64.4 billion, ranking third after the Republic of Korea and Singapore.

Vietnam-Japan: warm, sincere, trustful relationship

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had an informal meeting with his Japanese counterpart immediately after Prime Minister Kishida Fumio arrived in Hanoi for an official visit on April 30 evening.

At the meeting, Chinh talked about the Vietnamese culture with his guest and invited a calligraphic master to write three words Chan thanh, Tinh cam, Tin cay (meaning Affection, Sincerity, Trust) in both Vietnamese and Japanese Kanji to present to the Japanese Prime Minister.

The three words are the new motto for the Vietnam-Japan relationship that the two countries’ PMs had agreed upon during PM Chinh’s visit to Japan in November 2021.

PM Kishida said cultural similarities between Japan and Vietnam create an important foundation for strengthening their friendship.

The visit by the Japanese PM takes place when the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership is developing robustly across the fields. The two countries are actively preparing for activities marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2023.

During the visit, besides holding talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, PM Kishida is scheduled to pay respect to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, make cordial visits to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and have a meeting with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. He will also attend a conference on Vietnam-Japan cooperation in industrial reform and digital transformation.

Source: VOV/VNA