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At a summit meeting in October last year, the two countries informally agreed that Japan will carry out the second phase of construction of two nuclear reactors to be built in the southern province of Ninh Thuan.
But there is uncertainty about the plan in the aftermath of the crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power station, which continues to release radioactive substances after being badly damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan.
With Vietnam saying it has not changed its policy of promoting nuclear power generation and placing the second-phase construction order with Japan, PM Dung is expected discuss Vietnam's plans with Noda during their talks.
The Vietnamese government has “absolute confidence in Japanese nuclear technology,” Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh told the Mainichi during a recent interview.
Despite the ongoing Fukushima nuclear crisis, Binh emphasized that Vietnam would proceed with discussions on the nuclear technology deal as planned, stating the disaster “does not change our cooperation with Japan.”
“The nuclear crisis is the fault of an unforeseen tsunami,” Ambassador Binh told the Mainichi. “I believe Japan will use the crisis to learn important lessons and develop great technology.”
Furthermore, “Japan and Vietnam are strategic partners, and there are many sectors where we can compliment one another for the economic development of both countries,” he stated, referring to a broad range of bilateral initiatives including continued planning for a joint rare earth development project in northern Vietnam.
The ambassador also revealed the Japanese government has offered his nation an electronic customs system, and that Vietnam is “proactively considering” the offer.
TTXVN/Jiji Press/Mainichi
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