Việt Nam-japan relationship making firm strides, says ambassador

The relationship between Việt Nam and Japan has made firm strides towards the start of a new period and is expected to grow further in the future, Japanese Ambassador Yamada Takio has said.

In an interview with the press ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s visit to Việt Nam from April 30–May 1, the ambassador said the two countries have reaped considerable achievements across many spheres since the trip to Japan by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính in November 2021, despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the first visit to Việt Nam by Kishida in his capacity as the Prime Minister of Japan, Yamada said, expressing his belief that leaders of the two sides will have candid discussions to strengthen the bilateral ties.

Recalling the Japan trip by PM Chính, the ambassador said the two Government leaders shared the view on the endless potential of the relationship which is not only bilateral, but also regionally and globally strategic.

The “Towards the Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia” joint statement and a list of cooperation projects have also been announced, he added.

Since PM Chính’s visit, the cooperation scope between the two countries has been expanded, from bilateral economy to politics and security, and regional and international issues.

According to the diplomat, despite limited investments globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese investors are still interested in the Southeast Asian nation.

He cited the Việt Nam-japan investment promotion conference held on the occasion of PM Chính’s visit which saw the participation of 1,000 people, both online and offline, as an example. At the conference, 45 memoranda of understanding worth up to US$12 billion were inked, he said, attributing this to growth potential, political stability, outstanding human resources and cultural closeness between Việt Nam and Japan.

Lauding Việt Nam's efforts in shifting toward green growth and cutting carbon emissions, and PM Chính’s commitments to carbon emission neutrality by 2050 made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), Yamada suggested the country continue to draft initiatives to achieve the target.

The diplomat also highlighted the joint action plan on climate change toward carbon neutrality signed by Japanese Minister of the Environment Yamaguchi Tsuyoshi and Vietnamese Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà during PM Chính’s visit.

Japan will enhance comprehensive cooperation with Việt Nam, covering policy, technology and finance, with the waste-to-energy plant project in Việt Nam’s northern province of Bắc Ninh as an example.

Under the Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM), the Japanese Government will provide financial aid for Việt Nam to purchase equipment using Japanese technologies, and further contribute to the circular economy in the country.

Up to 40 JCM projects have been approved in Việt Nam so far, the ambassador pointed out, stressing that Japan will foster this kind of cooperation in the time ahead.

Motoyoshi Ryokichi, former general secretary of the Japan-việt Nam Friendship Association, in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, also shared the view that Việt Nam and Japan are witnessing robust growth in ties.

Motoyoshi emphasised that tremendous room is available for cooperation between the two countries, especially in economy, trade and human resource cooperation.

He noted that Japan has an ageing population, hence the demand for more foreign workers, while Việt Nam has an abundant labour force. Currently, Việt Nam is the country with the largest number of technical interns in Japan. Notably, Vietnamese workers make a good impression in Japan thanks to their intelligence, diligence and good skills.

He said he believes that, when the Japanese Government completely lift entry restriction measures, the number of Vietnamese trainees would increase even more.

As a legal consultant for Vietnamese people in Japan, Motoyoshi said that the authorities and businesses of both countries need to work on further improving the quality of their human resources cooperation, particularly regarding the training of Vietnamese workers and their working conditions in Japan.

In 2023, Japan and Việt Nam will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations and there will certainly be a lot of exchange and cooperation activities between the two countries deployed at all levels across many spheres, said Motoyoshi.

This is a good opportunity for the two peoples to enhance mutual understanding, and together make more practical contributions to their nations’ socio-economic development and bilateral friendship, he added.

Matsuda Hidekazu, Director of the Japanese-based company GOWell, which supplies Asian workers for local businesses, said since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the number of Vietnamese people seeking advice from his company has increased dramatically, reaching nearly 1,900.

Gowell tries to offer the best support possible for foreign students, including those from Việt Nam, to find good employment.