Prime Minister proposes Japan to exempt visas for Vietnamese citizens

(Dan Tri) - In order to enhance tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that Japan promote simplification and move towards visa exemption for Vietnamese citizens entering the country.

This proposal was mentioned by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a bilateral meeting in Tokyo, Japan, when he received President of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union Nikai Toshihiro on the afternoon of December 16. On the same day, the Prime Minister also spent time receiving Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, a key member of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union Executive Board, leaders of the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren), and leaders of several large corporations such as Sumitomo, EREX, ANA, etc. Assessing the outstanding achievements of the two countries' relationship over the past 50 years, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that sincerity, affection, and political trust are the most important assets.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received leaders of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance; leaders of the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations and leaders of several large Japanese corporations such as Sumitomo, EREX, ANA... (Photo: Doan Bac).

Currently, Japan is Vietnam's leading economic partner, ranking first in ODA, second in labor, third in investment and fourth in trade. Local cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries are increasingly close, with more than 500,000 Vietnamese people living, studying and working in Japan. The Head of Government highly appreciated the Union's active coordination in promoting many economic, cultural, people-to-people exchange activities between parliamentarians of the two countries, notably the visit to Vietnam by parliamentarians, local leaders, leaders of the economic and tourism sectors, and large Japanese enterprises in 2023. The Prime Minister asked Chairman Nikai and members of the Union of Friendship Parliamentarians to strengthen cooperation between the National Assembly, promote the bridging role of friendship parliamentary organizations; promote cooperation between the two countries in labor, human resource training, cooperation in new fields such as digital transformation, green transformation, high-tech agriculture , education. In particular, the Prime Minister proposed that the Japanese side promote simplification towards visa exemption for Vietnamese citizens entering Japan, thereby enhancing tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries. Chairman Nikai and members of the Friendship Parliamentary Union affirmed that they will continue to pay attention and support promoting cooperation with Vietnam, especially in areas with much room for cooperation such as labor, agriculture, science and technology, energy, local exchanges, people-to-people exchanges, etc.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance Nikai Toshihiro (Photo: Doan Bac).

He said he would report to the Japanese Government the opinions of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on implementing the visa exemption policy for Vietnamese citizens. Meanwhile, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike shared her desire to promote cooperation between Tokyo and Vietnam in areas such as exchanges, delegation exchanges, human resource cooperation, etc. Japanese Justice Minister Koizumi Ryuji also pledged to make every effort as Chief of the Office of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union to improve the regime for Vietnamese workers and trainees in Japan. Mr. Kubota Masakazu, Secretary General of Keidanren, affirmed that Japanese enterprises are very interested and want to contribute to the development of Vietnam-Japan economic cooperation. Hoai Thu (From Tokyo, Japan)

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