There's a saying: "Friendship is the moment a flower blooms, and time is the time for the fruit to ripen and blossom." Fifty years of Vietnam-Japan relations have perhaps been enough for that "friendship" to blossom, bear fruit, and mature, bringing the relationship between the two countries into its best and most brilliant phase, like the first rays of dawn in the Land of the Rising Sun.
In the context of Vietnam-Japan relations, 2023 cannot be quantified simply by 12 months, but rather by the continuous flow of events across all areas of the relationship to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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| President Vo Van Thuong and his wife with the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan. (Source: VNA) |
A miraculous love story
During the reception for Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Princess Michiko during their official visit to Vietnam last September, President Vo Van Thuong affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is currently in its best stage of development ever and has a solid foundation to be elevated to a new level in the future.
That wonderful journey didn't happen by chance. Looking back, any relationship, whether planned or coincidental, if sincere enough, will overcome all obstacles and difficulties to last indefinitely! The "coincidental" relationship between Vietnam and Japan is such a story.
In the 8th century, in Con Lon (now Con Dao Island), the Japanese envoy Heguri Hironari, while wandering, accidentally landed on the island off the coast of Southern Vietnam, and is believed to be one of the first Japanese to arrive in Vietnam. The Faifo - Hoi An trading port, then located on the "maritime silk road" connecting East and West, became a familiar and important destination for Japanese merchants. The bustling Japanese trading ships played a crucial role, leaving a unique legacy in the formation of one of the most vibrant trading districts in Vietnam at that time.
Thus, through the trials of time, the special bond between the Vietnamese and Japanese people continues to develop and reach for the future.
Fifty years is not a long period in the nearly 1,300-year history of relations between the two nations, but it has witnessed the rapid, remarkable, and comprehensive development of friendly cooperation between Vietnam and Japan. Over the past five decades, the relationship between Vietnam and Japan has deepened, evolving from friends and partners to very important partners, sharing many common strategic interests and a shared understanding of sustainable development.
That journey is clearly reflected in each step of the two countries' upgrading of relations: from a long-term, stable, reliable partnership (2002) to a Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia (2006), then a Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia (2009), and most recently, a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia (2014).
Currently, amidst the ever-changing global and regional situation, the Asia-Pacific region, while considered a driving force for global growth, also faces numerous risks and challenges. Yet, the Vietnam-Japan relationship remains on track, with both sides valuing bilateral relations and wholeheartedly promoting comprehensive cooperation across all areas. This once again demonstrates the profound importance of the Vietnam-Japan relationship.
A true companion
It can be confidently said that in every step of Vietnam's development over the past decades, Japan has always been a "companion." Time is the most accurate measure of the sincerity and trust that the two countries have for each other, and there is no need to question the numerous instances of phrases like "first time" or "rare" that have appeared in the history of their relationship.
Japan was the first G7 country to resume official development assistance (ODA) and for the past several decades has consistently been the largest provider of ODA to Vietnam, helping to build key infrastructure projects. It is not uncommon to see bridges and roads bearing the names of Japan and Vietnam throughout the S-shaped country.
Japan was the first G7 country to invite the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to visit Japan (General Secretary Nong Duc Manh in 2009) and also the first G7 country to recognize Vietnam's market economy status. This friend was the first G7 country to establish a Strategic Partnership with Vietnam, and also the first G7 country to invite Vietnamese leaders to attend the G7 Expanded Summit (2016 and 2022), contributing to increasing Vietnam's position and voice on the international stage.
Few countries have as many as nearly 100 local diplomatic relations with Vietnam as Japan. The Vietnamese community in Japan, with over 500,000 people, has grown to become the second largest foreign community in Japan.
In particular, the spirit of sharing and mutual support is always present in every Vietnamese and Japanese person. This is evidenced by the image of long lines of Vietnamese people queuing in front of the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi and the Japanese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City to donate and support the Japanese people in overcoming difficulties after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami; and by the Vietnamese people readily sharing precious and scarce face masks with the Japanese people during the Covid-19 pandemic…
On the multilateral level, the two countries actively cooperate as members of new-generation free trade agreements such as CPTPP and RCEP. At regional and international forums such as ASEAN, APEC, and the United Nations, the two countries always cooperate closely, support each other, and work together to address international and regional issues of common concern.
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| President Vo Van Thuong and his wife. (Photo: QT) |
Moving towards the future together.
During his official visit to Vietnam in May 2022, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio emphasized the limitless potential for cooperation between the two countries. Similarly, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed at the Vietnam-Japan Business Forum last May: “We have cooperated, shared, been determined, strived, and succeeded; let us continue to promote cooperation, sharing, determination, effort, and even greater success in the new circumstances.” Clearly, with the valuable foundation we currently possess, the two countries remain united in writing new chapters of success with new collaborations.
In the coming period, in addition to further deepening political and diplomatic relations through increased contact, exchange, and interaction at all levels, the two countries will promote economic cooperation, in line with its role as a main pillar in bilateral relations.
Through these discussions, Vietnam called on Japanese investors to increase investment in Vietnam in the following areas: supporting industries, electronic components, electric vehicles; science and technology, innovation, research and development; green economy, digital economy, circular economy, knowledge economy; semiconductor manufacturing, new energy (such as hydrogen), renewable energy; and eco-industrial parks linked to smart cities. These are sectors and fields where Japan has experience and strengths, and Vietnam has needs and potential.
In the spirit of "harmonious benefits, shared risks," the Vietnamese Government will always stand alongside, listen to, support, and create all favorable conditions for foreign investors in general, and Japanese investors in particular, to conduct successful, sustainable, and long-term investments in Vietnam.
Returning to the reflection on friendship, a good friend is like a four-leaf clover—hard to find, but a stroke of luck to find. Perhaps, through a fortuitous encounter, Vietnam and Japan have also had and continue to have such a fortunate journey. With sincerity, trust, and diligent nurturing, the Vietnamese-Japanese friendship has borne abundant fruit, reassuring those who cultivated it of bountiful harvests.
| Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio: “In 2023, Japan and Vietnam celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations amidst the strong development of bilateral relations in all fields such as politics, economics, and culture. I believe that President Vo Van Thuong's visit to Japan at such an important time will be historically significant and become one of the most outstanding highlights of the anniversary year. Beyond reviewing the progress in Japan-Vietnam relations to date, this visit also conveys the message that cooperation between Japan and Vietnam is not just a bilateral relationship, but is becoming a relationship that can jointly contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.” |
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![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presides over a meeting on private sector economic development.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvphoto.vietnam.vn%2Fthumb%2F1200x675%2Fvietnam%2Fresource%2FIMAGE%2F2025%2F12%2F20%2F1766237501876_thiet-ke-chua-co-ten-40-png.webp&w=3840&q=75)
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