Prime Minister welcomes new Japanese ambassador

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính receives Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Tuesday hosted a reception for Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki who has just begun his working term in Việt Nam.

PM Chính asked the ambassador to convey his thanks to leaders and people of Japan for sending the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan, former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, to attend the funeral of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

The PM expressed his satisfaction with the development of the relationship between the two countries over the past time, particularly their regular exchanges of delegations at all levels, and enhanced economic cooperation and linkages. He noted that Japan is one of the most important economic partners of Việt Nam, while people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have been expanding with the Vietnamese community in Japan now numbering more than 560,000.

Appreciating Ito’s experience in working with Việt Nam, Chính asked the ambassador to actively promote the implementation of the newly-upgraded comprehensive strategic partnership framework between the two countries.

He hoped that the ambassador will promote political trust between the two countries via increasing high-level visits and contacts as well as defence and security cooperation.

On this occasion, the PM conveyed an invitation of Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm to the Emperor, Empress, and members of the Japanese Royal Family to visit Việt Nam.

He also asked the ambassador to help strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries, and expand the cooperation to new areas such as digital transformation, green transition, innovation, and net zero emissions.

PM Chính suggested that the ambassador work to promote technology transfer and innovation; cooperation in human resources, labour, locality-to-locality cooperation, cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges.

In addition, the PM wished that the two countries will enhance cooperation in international and regional issues of mutual concern.

For his part, Ambassador Ito said the most important task for him during the tenure in Việt Nam is to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of the two countries towards the next 50 years, adding that he has set a target to contribute to double the bilateral trade turnover between Việt Nam and Japan to US$100 billion in ten years.

He committed to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to promote the progress of projects agreed upon by the two countries’ senior leaders; energise overseas development assistance (ODA) cooperation, promote new ODA projects for Việt Nam in the infrastructure sector; coordinate to promote the Việt Nam – Japan Joint Initiative in the new era to improve Việt Nam’s investment environment.

The ambassador also said that Japan will cooperate in training semiconductor and AI human resources for Việt Nam through the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

He affirmed his attention to push for more preferential policies for Vietnamese workers. He said Japan will create favourable conditions for Việt Nam to successfully participate in the World EXPO in Osaka in 2025. — VNS