President Vo Van Thuong and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at a press conference. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

With the upgrading of the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World, President Vo Van Thuong's official visit to Japan is of special significance, opening a new chapter after half a century of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries; leaving a bright mark in the history of the "heaven-ordained marriage" between the Vietnamese people and the people of the land of cherry blossoms.

Heavenly time, favorable location, and harmony between people

It can be said that never before has the strengthening of cooperative relations between the two countries received such broad consensus from the States, Governments and peoples of the two countries. Both Vietnam and Japan attach great importance to this visit to Japan by President Vo Van Thuong.

According to the special correspondent of VNA, in his speech at a press conference after his talks with President Vo Van Thuong, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio spoke very warmly about his affection for the country and people of Vietnam. "I have a very deep affinity with Vietnam." He shared that since joining the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Alliance, he has visited Vietnam almost every year. The Japanese Prime Minister also affirmed that "Vietnamese human resources are an indispensable presence in Japan's socio-economic development process" and considered Vietnam an "important base in cooperation to ensure Japan's supply chain."

Choosing Vietnam as one of the first countries to visit after taking office as Foreign Minister, Ms. Kamikawa Yoko also expressed her very good feelings for the relationship between the two countries and said that it is the solid and lasting cooperation, maintained regularly, that has connected the people of the two countries as true friends of each other in times of difficulties such as natural disasters, epidemics, etc.

Speaking during talks with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, President Vo Van Thuong said that the Vietnam-Japan relationship is a "typical model of effective and sincere cooperation, with very open potential and prospects".

In the Joint Statement on upgrading the bilateral relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World – the most important success of the visit, President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio both acknowledged that the achievements in the Vietnam-Japan relationship over the past 50 years are a solid foundation for the two nations to confidently move forward together into the future. Upgrading bilateral relations to the highest level affirms the desire of the two countries to promote cooperation in all fields to new heights and expand to new areas of cooperation.

Summarizing the success of the visit, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son assessed that this was a visit of “important significance, comprehensive results, substantial content, and rich program”. The upgrading of relations reflects the high level of political trust and maturity of the Vietnam-Japan relationship, opening a new period of more substantive and effective development cooperation in all fields, meeting the wishes, needs and interests of the people of the two countries, contributing to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world.

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress met and hosted a warm reception for President Vo Van Thuong and his wife at the Imperial Palace. According to an official from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, although there is still more than a month left until the end of 2023, this is also the last time the Japanese Emperor will receive foreign guests in 2023. This shows the special respect that the Royal Family, Government and people of Japan have for this visit of President Vo Van Thuong.

President Vo Van Thuong was also respectfully invited to speak at the Japanese National Diet - the oldest legislative body in Asia, which has made many important legislative decisions for Japan's development over the past 135 years. This is a special sentiment that the Japanese National Diet has for President Vo Van Thuong personally and also for the Vietnamese people and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation at a very meaningful time - the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

And in his speech, President Vo Van Thuong also expressed his sincere and deep feelings for the country and people of the cherry blossom country. Recalling his trips to Japan when he was young in the exchange program, meeting the youth of the two countries, President Vo Van Thuong shared: “Those visits, meeting young Japanese people, living with Japanese families have left me with good memories and impressions of the hospitable and friendly Japanese people; Japan is as beautiful as cherry blossoms, the Japanese soul is peaceful and profound like Haiku poems, the Japanese spirit is resilient and noble like Samurai warriors, the Japanese will is steadfast and firm like Mount Fuji”.

“If I were to use a very general, concise and emotional sentence about the relationship between our two countries, I would say: “A match made in heaven,” President Vo Van Thuong said at the Japanese Parliament.

Expressing his deeper feelings about the increasingly high position of the “Land of the Rising Sun”, the President affirmed that the achievements in the Vietnam-Japan relationship over the past 50 years are a solid foundation for the two nations to confidently move forward together into the future. The new framework of relations allows the two countries to elevate and expand the space for cooperation, not only in bilateral relations but also on regional and global issues… in line with the spirit of Vietnam and Japan accompanying each other, looking towards the future, reaching out to the world.

Appreciating the speech of President Vo Van Thuong, President of the Japanese Senate Otsuji Hidehisa said that the two peoples of Japan and Vietnam share many similarities in history and culture, and many good values ​​and qualities, "like the lotus of Vietnam and the cherry blossom of Japan, always knowing how to overcome difficulties and adversities, and spreading their fragrance".

“From heart to heart”

As Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio has shared many times, the development of Vietnam - Japan relations does not only take place in the political and economic fields, but also lies in the understanding and empathy between people, originating from the long-standing historical and cultural connection between the two countries.

People-to-people exchange and cultural cooperation are also the focus of President Vo Van Thuong's official visit to Japan, demonstrated through many activities with the consistent spirit of connecting "from heart to heart".

In Tokyo, the President spent time receiving leaders of parties and groups of Japanese parliamentarians and friends of Vietnam; many of whom are old friends of the President. The meeting recalled the common memories of each person in different positions, was friendly but also full of motivation with the same viewpoint of further strengthening the exchange activities between young leaders, young parliamentarians and young generations of the two countries.

There were many receptions during the visit, but the most sincere, simple, impressive and profound event was the intimate meeting and breakfast between the President and his wife and homestay families from many provinces and cities hundreds and thousands of kilometers away from Tokyo. Nearly 30 years ago, these families welcomed President Vo Van Thuong to stay and exchange in youth cooperation activities between Vietnam and Japan. The reunion after more than 3 decades was filled with laughter, surprise and emotion with many old memories being recreated. At that time, the homestay families enthusiastically introduced the "young Vietnamese man" of that time to traditional culture and daily life in rural Japan through daily tasks such as cooking, gardening, farming, folk dancing, community activities, etc.

Speaking to reporters, former Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio said that the basic principle of cooperation between the two countries is mutual trust between the people of the two countries. Therefore, deepening the trust between the people of the two countries is very important.

Music connects friendship

Musical performance at the ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

A special cultural connection activity held to celebrate the visit was the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries with the participation of Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Princess. The program featured many famous artists from both countries, including People's Artist Dang Thai Son, a Vietnamese Pianist who is very popular in the land of cherry blossoms. In the harmony of music, Artist Dang Thai Son accompanied the piano, Japanese artist Omiya Rintaro played the violin, combined with talented singer Miura Daichi, performing the piece "The Sound of Songs" with lyrics written by Emperor Emeritus Akihito and music composed by Empress Dowager Michiko.

Artist Dang Thai Son, who has performed in Japan almost every year since the 1980s, said: Japan is a country that highly values ​​culture and art; meanwhile, Vietnam also has a rich and open art scene. Music is a tool to connect the people of the two countries.

Also considering music as a means of connection, the talented conductor Honna Tetsuji expressed: The wonderful thing is that the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra has combined with the NHK Symphony Orchestra to perform works from both countries; sharing emotions at a very meaningful ceremony. That shows that music helps shorten the distance between Vietnam and Japan a lot.

Accompanying the President on the trip, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong said that from the milestone of upgrading bilateral relations between the two countries to the highest level through the President's visit, cultural exchange activities between the two countries in the coming time will be very favorable because Japan is a country where culture is highly expressive.

The visit was a great success in all aspects. President Vo Van Thuong’s visit brought the people of Vietnam and Japan closer together, more loving and sympathetic to each other. Overcoming the geographical distance, the people of the two countries promoted the similarities and connections in culture, history, people and the “longstanding tradition of exchange” for thousands of years. That is also the “glue that binds the friendship and mutual understanding between the people of the two countries”.

According to VNA