Vietnamese and Japanese members of parliament have discussed ways to promote the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and strengthen exchanges between the two countries’ parliamentarians at all levels.

On June 18, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for External Affairs Nguyen Van Giau held talks with Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the House of Councillors Shingo Miyake in Tokyo as part of his visit to Japan.

He told his host that last year Vietnam was honoured to welcome the Japanese Emperor and Empress as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Speaker of the House of Representatives Oshima Tadamori and Speaker of the House of Councillors Chuichi Date.

Japan has helped Vietnam build iconic works such as Can Tho Bridge, Nhat Tan Bridge, and upgrade Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports, Giau emphasized.

The sound relationship between the House of Councillors of the National Diet of Japan and the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) has helped propel the bilateral ties between the two nations forward, he said while citing President Tran Dai Quang’s recent State visit to Japan from May 29 to June 2, 2018 as a demonstration of both nations’ wish to deepen the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity.

The Vietnamese community in Japan has grown rapidly over recent years, reaching nearly 300,000 in 2017 while the number of Japanese travelers to Vietnam hit 790,000.

In reply, Shingo Miyake said he will double efforts to intensify exchanges between the two countries’ parliamentarians at all levels, both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors.

Concerning the CPTPP, he said the Japanese Diet has adopted the deal and is discussing a draft law pertaining to the CPTPP, which is expected to be finalized at its ongoing session.

He also desired closer coordination with Vietnam in promoting the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) so as to make it a high-quality trade agreement like CPTPP.

Two-way trade reached US$33 billion last year and Japan now runs over 3,700 projects totally capitalized at US$50 billion in Vietnam.

Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam over the past nearly 30 years has risen to US$30 billion, Giau said.

The same day, Giau paid a courtesy visit to Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, met with Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance leaders and worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan on issues related to the CPTPP.

VOV