Vietnam - Japan melodies strengthen friendship on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day

On the evening of September 8 (local time), in Sakai city, one of the localities in Japan with the closest relations with Vietnam, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka solemnly organized a Concert Program to celebrate the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Attending the program, on the Vietnamese side were Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung...

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long attended the Concert to celebrate the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Attending and delivering a welcome speech, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long stated that after 80 years of construction and development (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025), under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam , the determination and consensus of the entire people, and the support of international friends, including Japan, Vietnam has overcome all difficulties to gain national independence, unify the country, rebuild the economy and integrate deeply with the world.

From a poor, backward country, devastated by war and embargoed, today Vietnam is among the Top 35 leading economies in the world, with a trade scale in the Top 20 countries in the world, participating in 17 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with 60 key economies in the region and globally, establishing diplomatic relations with 194 countries; GDP per capita increased nearly 50 times.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long speaks at the Concert Program - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

"Based on the achievements that have been made, Vietnam is constantly striving to bring the country into a new era - the era of national growth, determined to become a developed country with high income by 2045," the Deputy Prime Minister stated. And in that journey, the companionship of Japan, a trusted and close friend of Vietnam, is indispensable.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, with a history of exchange dating back to the 13th century, more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations, cultural similarities, close national character and shared strategic interests, the Vietnam - Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been constantly consolidated and is in a period of good, substantive and effective development in all fields with high political trust.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long: Local cooperation, people-to-people exchange and human resource cooperation between the two countries are increasingly close and effective.

Economic cooperation continues to be a key pillar as Japan is Vietnam’s leading economic partner. Local cooperation, people-to-people exchange and human resource cooperation between the two countries are increasingly close and effective.

The Vietnamese community in Japan has reached more than 600,000 people, the second largest foreign community in Japan and is actively contributing to the socio-economic development of Japan, serving as an important bridge between the two countries.

It can be said that the Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation is a model and typical example of success in bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and its partners, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

The Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated Consul General Ngo Trinh Ha and the staff of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka for carefully preparing the Concert Program.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that today's Concert Program is very meaningful, not only as a cultural activity to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day, but also as an opportunity for the Vietnamese community in Japan to live in an atmosphere of pride, solidarity and connection with the homeland, as well as to tighten and deepen the friendship and connection between the Vietnamese and Japanese people through music - the common language of humanity.

Concert program to celebrate the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam held in Sakai city, Japan

The Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated Consul General Ngo Trinh Ha and the staff of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka for their careful preparation of the Concert Program.

"I believe that the melody that resounds today in the Fenice Theater in Japan - the land of the rising sun - will not only tell the story of the resilient Vietnamese people, but through each drum beat, each instrument sound, each song, it will also be a profound gratitude that the Vietnamese people want to send to international friends, including the Japanese people - those who have always accompanied, shared and supported us in important moments," Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long expressed.

An art performance at the Program - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

"I hope that the Vietnam - Japan relationship will grow more and more, there will be more Japanese friends who are experts, businesses, and people coming to Vietnam to live, work and experience, like the tanka poems of Emperor Akihito wrote after his historic visit to Vietnam in 2017: " How did they get through/The years of struggle and war/Thoughts of them rushed through me/When we visited this land/Vietnam ".

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung presented flowers to thank the artists.

This concert was directed by People's Artist, Vietnam's leading violinist Bui Cong Duy. The performances included violinist Chuong Vu, who is currently active internationally and is based in the United States; pianist Hara Yuriko; string artists from the Osaka Symphony Orchestra; and the traditional instrument group from the Vietnam National Academy of Music. The audience was treated to a diverse program, from classical music, film music to unique performances of 10 traditional Vietnamese musical instruments that are rarely introduced in Japan.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/giai-dieu-viet-nhat-that-chat-tinh-huu-nghi-nhan-ky-niem-80-nam-quoc-khanh-20250909090326836.htm