Vietnam and Japan: Partnering for Sustainable Development

At the invitation of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae paid an official visit to Vietnam from May 1-3.

On the morning of May 2nd, following the official welcoming ceremony, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, along with high-level delegations from both countries, held talks at the Government Headquarters.

Create new motivation

Congratulating the Japanese Prime Minister on successfully chairing the recent Expanded Asian Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Summit, thereby affirming Japan's leading role and contribution in addressing global energy security issues, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that Vietnam always considers Japan one of its top strategic partners, a sincere and reliable friend, and a partner in realizing sustainable development goals.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung expressed his confidence that the visit would create new momentum to promote and further develop the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, making it "deeper, richer, more substantive, and more effective" in all areas of mutual interest, especially in economics , trade, investment, ODA, digital transformation, green transformation, science and technology, food security, and sustainable energy – core drivers for the development of both countries as well as the future of the region and the world.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae

During the talks, Prime Minister Takaichi congratulated Vietnam on its outstanding achievements in national development and its increasingly enhanced international role. He assessed Vietnam's important position in the regional supply chain and its independent foreign policy and deep international integration. He affirmed Japan's support for Vietnam's development efforts and orientations, and its readiness to work alongside Vietnam in achieving its development goals. The Japanese Prime Minister expressed his desire to cooperate with Vietnam to strengthen the self-reliance and resilience of both countries' economies.

Aiming for bilateral trade turnover to reach 60 billion USD.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue strengthening political trust through maintaining annual high-level visits and contacts; continue effectively implementing ministerial-level cooperation mechanisms in various fields, including diplomacy, trade, industry and energy, agriculture, etc.; and enhance substantive cooperation in defense and security, especially in maritime areas, addressing the consequences of war, and cybersecurity.

Regarding economic cooperation, the two Prime Ministers agreed to deepen economic cooperation, a key pillar of the relationship, through trade, investment, and ODA cooperation, contributing to ensuring economic security, energy security, and sustainable agriculture; agreed on measures to soon bring Japanese investment in Vietnam to US$5 billion per year and bilateral trade turnover to US$60 billion by 2030; promoted the early opening of the market for Vietnamese green pomelo and Japanese grapes; agreed to implement ODA cooperation projects in the field of climate change response, and continue to promote the concretization of cooperation contents within the framework of Japanese initiatives in the region such as the Asia Zero Emission Community Initiative, the Asia Energy and Resource Resilience Partnership Initiative (POWERR ASIA), and promote exchanges on energy projects such as nuclear and gas-fired power plants.

Accordingly, Japan will assist in arranging the supply of crude oil for the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Plant. Prime Minister Takaichi affirmed that Japan will continue to support Vietnam in effectively implementing the project to reduce emissions on 1 million hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta.

Regarding cooperation in science and technology, the two Prime Ministers agreed to restart the Vietnam-Japan Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation in 2026 and to soon arrange for a public-private event on high technology.

Prime Minister Takaichi stated that Japan wishes to continue supporting Vietnam in enhancing its technological self-reliance in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and aerospace. He considered this a priority area for future cooperation, promoting the training of high-quality human resources in high-tech fields through scholarships for Vietnamese students and researchers, and co-funding joint research projects through the Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Program (NEXUS), the Sakura Scientific Research Program, etc.

Affirming the importance of connecting human resources between the two countries, the two Prime Ministers agreed to further promote cooperation in the fields of labor, local government, people-to-people exchanges, culture, and tourism, and agreed to hold the 2nd Vietnam-Japan Local Government Cooperation Forum in 2026…

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung requested the Japanese government to simplify visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens, contributing to creating favorable conditions to achieve the goal of doubling the number of two-way tourists by 2030. The two leaders also agreed to cooperate closely on the Vietnam-Japan University project and to soon sign an agreement on the Vietnam-Japan University between the two countries.

Discussing regional and international issues, the two Prime Ministers agreed to continue close coordination in international and regional forums such as ASEAN, the Mekong sub-region, the United Nations, as well as within the framework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2026 when Vietnam holds the chairmanship. Both sides affirmed the importance of resolving disputes in the South China Sea peacefully, based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Immediately after the successful conclusion of the talks, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation documents between the two countries and met with the press to inform them about the results of the talks.

Japan awards the Order of the Rising Sun to former leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State.

On the evening of May 2nd, in Hanoi, the governments of Vietnam and Japan solemnly held a ceremony to present the Order of the Rising Sun, First Class, Great Cross of Japan, to former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. Also present were members of the Politburo: Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang; Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung; and Head of the Central Policy and Strategy Committee Nguyen Thanh Nghi. In addition, leaders from central and Hanoi city departments, ministries, and agencies, as well as friends from both Vietnam and Japan, were also in attendance.

The Order of the Rising Sun is Japan's highest award, not only recognizing the contributions of the two former leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State, but also expressing the Japanese government's appreciation for the efforts of the leaders and people of both countries in promoting increasingly strong Vietnam-Japan relations.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, along with former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and other delegates, pose for a group photo.

Photo: VNA

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/viet-nam-nhat-ban-dong-hanh-phat-trien-ben-vung-185260502222520102.htm