Welcoming Mr. Nikai Toshihiro on his visit and work at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Minister Nguyen Van Hung assessed the visit of Mr. Nikai Toshihiro and his delegation as a very meaningful visit on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam are very interested in his visit. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, and Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat Truong Thi Mai took the time to meet and discuss with Mr. Nikai Toshihiro on the situation and orientation of cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung received and worked with Mr. Nikai Toshihiro, Chairman of the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance.
The Minister assessed that over the past 50 years, thanks to efforts, the Vietnam - Japan cooperative relationship has achieved many great strides. In particular, cultural, sports and tourism cooperation activities have achieved many important milestones. The Vietnam Cultural Week in Japan and the Japan Cultural Week in Vietnam were successfully held in each country, leaving a deep impression on the people. Through the Cultural Week, the people of the two countries have more opportunities to understand each other's culture; people-to-people exchange between Vietnam and Japan has been promoted. In addition, the Minister highly appreciated the fact that the Vietnam and Japan symphony orchestras have performed many times in each country, contributing to meeting the people's need to enjoy art. In the coming time, the Minister hopes that under the leadership of the two governments and the bridging role of Mr. Nikai Toshihiro and the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union, Vietnam - Japan cultural cooperation will have more activities as well as make more efforts to maintain and improve the quality of existing activities.
Minister Nguyen Van Hung affirmed that the cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Japan in culture, sports and tourism is going very well.
In tourism , Minister Nguyen Van Hung affirmed that after the Covid-19 pandemic was controlled, Vietnam and Japan immediately started promoting tourism and increasing the number of exchange visitors. In the first 4 months of 2023 alone, Minister Nguyen Van Hung informed that the number of Japanese visitors to Vietnam reached about 160,000. Similarly, Vietnamese visitors to Japan reached about 170,000. According to the Minister, many Vietnamese people are currently looking forward to traveling to Japan. With Japan making efforts to welcome international visitors, the Minister hopes that the neighboring country will welcome more Vietnamese tourists. To do this, the Minister proposed that Japan study and soon simplify visa procedures for Vietnamese tourists.
Regarding Vietnam, Minister Nguyen Van Hung said that at the 23rd Session starting tomorrow, the National Assembly Standing Committee will review and comment on the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam. Vietnam's amendment of a number of provisions of the Law will create more favorable conditions for international tourists, experts, foreign investors, etc. to enter Vietnam to contribute to promoting tourism and socio-economic development.
Chairman of the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union Nikai Toshihiro said that the Union will strive to contribute to the development of cultural, sports and tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.
Regarding sports, the Minister expressed his gratitude for Japan's support in Vietnam in training and improving the professional qualifications of coaches and athletes in sports that Japan is strong at. In the future, the Minister hopes that Japan will continue to support Vietnam in developing a number of sports. At the same time, the two sides need to increase the exchange of delegations of coaches, athletes and experts; helping Vietnam improve its performance in major competitions.
For his part, Mr. Nikai Toshihiro expressed his joy at returning to visit Vietnam after 3 years of exchanges between the two countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; at the same time, he thanked Minister Nguyen Van Hung and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for their warm and friendly welcome. In response to Minister Nguyen Van Hung's proposals, Mr. Nikai Toshihiro fully agreed and stated that the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union will continue to play a bridging role, contributing to helping the Vietnam - Japan cultural, sports and tourism cooperation relationship to become increasingly deeper and develop well.
Minister Nguyen Van Hung presented a souvenir to Mr. Nikai Toshihiro
Specifically, to deepen the cultural cooperation between the two sides, Mr. Nikai Toshihiro suggested that Vietnam and Japan organize more cultural and people-to-people exchange activities, especially between the young generation. Thereby contributing to consolidating and continuously developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.
At the meeting, Mr. Nikai Toshihiro especially emphasized tourism cooperation activities between the two countries. Mr. Nikai Toshihiro regretted the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of Vietnamese tourists to Japan decreased. However, when the two countries have successfully controlled the epidemic, Mr. Nikai hopes that Vietnam and Japan will have many tourism promotion activities, increasing the number of visitors exchanged between the two sides.
Leaders of both sides witnessed the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between Vietjet Air (Vietnam) and Wakayama Prefecture (Japan)
Also at the meeting, Minister Nguyen Van Hung and Mr. Nikai Toshihiro witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Vietjet Air (Vietnam) and Wakayama Prefecture (Japan) on the operation of charter flights between Vietnam and Nanki-Shirahama Airport. Minister Nguyen Van Hung welcomed Vietjet Air's opening of additional flights to Wakayama Prefecture and considered this a move to strengthen connectivity to develop tourism between Vietnam and Japan. With additional flights, the two countries can study and organize more tours to heritage sites, contributing to making the tourism market of the two countries more vibrant. Not only Vietjet Air, the Minister hopes that more Vietnamese airlines will open more flights to localities in Japan and vice versa.
Delegates from both sides attended the meeting
Overview of the working session
According to the Minister, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding between businesses and localities of Vietnam and Japan, the two sides need to soon sign a cooperation document on culture and tourism, creating a basis for implementing cooperation activities. "If we only deploy flights without organizing cultural and tourism promotion activities, we will still have difficulty attracting tourists. The signing will therefore only stop at formality," the Minister stated.
DINH TOAN; photo: TRAN HUAN
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