Tokyo (VNA) - The Vietnam-Japanrelationship has become a model of friendship and win-win partnerships,creating a foundation for cooperation in ensuring stability and peace inSoutheast Asia and beyond, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam has said.

He made the statement in an exclusive interview with VietnamNews Agency (VNA) correspondents in Tokyo ahead of the visit to Vietnam byJapanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, which is being made at the invitationof Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Slated for October 18-20, the visit will mark thesecond time Vietnam has been selected by a new Japanese PM as their firstoverseas destination upon taking office.


According to Ambassador Nam, PM Suga’s decision tovisit Vietnam and Indonesia during his first overseas trip expresses Japan’s regardfor the Southeast Asian region.

The PM’s policies towards Vietnam will be acontinuation of Japanese policies over the years, especially under PM Abe Shinzo’sadministration. Nearly 50 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomaticties, Vietnam and Japan have become trustworthy partners in an extensivestrategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia. Japan has made importantcontributions to Vietnam’s economic growth and vice-versa, the diplomat said.

He noted that relations have expanded strongly over the last decade and more,especially during the administration of PM Abe. All indicators on bilateralcooperation rose strongly, especially in the fields of investment, trade, andpeople-to-people exchange.

Some 500,000 Vietnamese people are now living in Japan, making it the largestforeign community in the country.

Japanese investors, meanwhile, consider Vietnam anattractive, reliable, and safe investment destination. Japan now stands as Vietnam’ssecond-largest investor, with committed investment of over 60 billion USD.

The ambassador expressed his belief that with Japan’spolicy of diversifying supply chains, more Japanese investors will come to Vietnam.

Regarding the major agenda items at the upcoming meetingbetween the Vietnamese and Japanese PMs, Ambassador Nam said they will discussa wide range of issues relating to bilateral ties, including measures to continuereinforcing and developing bilateral economic ties.

At the same time, amid emerging challenges in Asia andSoutheast Asia in particular, they will exchange viewpoints on security and politicalmatters as well as diplomatic and cooperative relations in the world.

They will also discuss cooperation in COVID-19prevention and control, especially the re-opening of the border and commercialflights between the two countries, to maintain and expand bilateral trade,economic exchange, and people-to-people contacts.

The ambassador said he expects the Japanese PM’s visitwill be fruitful, creating an important milestone in political-diplomaticrelations between the two countries./.