Hanoi (VNA) – The relationship between Vietnam and Japan is the finest development stage and holds potentia🤡l for further growth, heard an international conference in Hanoi on September 14.

The two-day event was co-hosted by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan Foundation (JF) and Senshu University on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties. It focuses on five areas, namely politics-diplomacy, economy, security- defence, culture-education and history-culture. Speaking at the opening ceremony, VASS President Dr. Phan Chi Hieu said over the past five decades, Vietnam-Japan relations have been continuously cultivated and growing closer. With the efforts of the leaders and people of the two countries, the relationship between the two countries has been consolidated, expanded and increasingly deepened, with high political trust, he went on. For many years, Japan has been Vietnam's most important economic partner, largest Official Development Assistant (ODA) provider, and has always been in the top group of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Southeast Asian nation, he said, adding that these foundations are the driving force to lift the relationship between the two countries to a new level. The event provides a platform for experts, scientists, policymakers and businesses from both countries to discuss research findings and practical experience related to Vietnam-Japan relations in various fields, thereby identifying new opportunities and contributing to deepening bilateral cooperation.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio said that Vietnam is a favourite investment destination for Japanese businesses in particular and international businesses in general, adding that the Southeast Asia country has a lot of potential for more robust development.

The diplomat pledged that Japan will continue to support Vietnam's socio-economic development in the coming years.

At the conference, a representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) briefed participants about the implementation of the JICA Programme for Japanese Studies (JICA Chair) with the goal of expanding learning opportunities and spreading experiences from cooperation between JICA and developing countries.

Within the framework of the "JICA Chair” project, JICA said it has cooperated with researchers from the Institute for Northeast Asian Studies under VASS in a number of activities such as developing teaching materials about Japan and research on the development of relations between the two countries.

The JICA representative hopes that in the coming time, research activities on Japan will be promoted in Vietnam, aiming to further strengthen the close-knit relationship between the two countries and the sustainable development of 🐼Vietnam.

Delegates at the conference agreed that the two countries have a long-term relationship and some strategic interests coincide to a high degree. They also said there is mutual trust between the leaders and people of the two countries, adding that this is the basis for further strengthening cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

Within the framework of the event, the VASS awarded the insignia for the cause of Vietnamese Social Sciences to Professor Furuta Motoo, Rector of V🐻ietnam Japan University, under Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), for his contributions to the development of relations between the two countries./.