VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi’s Nhat Tan Bridge which spans the Red River will also be known as the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Bridge, according to Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang.

The first name is the geographic name where the bridge is built and the second is to mark the good relationship between Vietnam and Japan.

The second name was suggested by Mr. Hiroshi Fukada, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, at a meeting with Minister Thang last month.

The Hanoi authorities then asked for the PM’s consideration of the name change. The PM assigned Hanoi and the Ministry of Transport to decide the name of the bridge.

Nhat Tan is the seventh bridge spanning the Red River in Hanoi. The bridge will be opened to traffic in January 2015, instead of this October as scheduled.

Nhat Tan is considered the longest cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam, with a length of 8.9 km and it will help shorten the road from Hanoi’s center to Noi Bai Airport.

The Nhat Tan Bridge project has a total investment of VND13.6 trillion, including loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the reciprocal fund of the Government of Vietnam.

Phong Van