Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had a hectic schedule on December 13 during his four-day visit to Japan , meeting with representatives from several Japanese organisations and many business leaders.

At his reception for Nikai Toshihiro, President of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, PM Dung spoken highly of the effective and positive contributions the president and members of the alliance have made to strengthening and consolidating bilateral ties between the two countries.

He welcomed the initiative to build the Vietnam-Japan University in Hanoi supported by the alliance, and said he believes that the alliance will continue to play a key role in developing the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership.

For his part, Nikai Toshihiro affirmed that the alliance will do its utmost to boost cooperation between the two countries, especially in economics, trade, investment, science and technology and education and training.

Meeting with President of the Japan ’s International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) Matsuzawa Ken, the Vietnamese PM said people-to-people exchange activities held during the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year 2013 have helped enhance the friendship and mutual understanding between the two nations.

He also expressed his belief that with its large membership and influence, FEC will contribute more to expanding and strengthening the relations between the two countries, especially in economics, trade, investment and human resources development.

Matsuzawa Ken said the council often arranges for Japanese delegations to visit Vietnam , which has a great potential for investment, to study investment opportunities and conduct exchanges with Vietnamese partners.

In his meeting with CEO and Executive Managing Director of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Hiroshi Watanabe, PM Dung asked JBIC to increase support to Vietnam ’s important projects, especially in transport infrastructure and energy as well as to Japanese investors who wish to expand business and investment in Vietnam .

The Vietnamese government will create favourable conditions for the operation of JBIC and Japanese enterprises, he said.

Receiving Professor Natsume Nagato, Director of the Japanese Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation, PM Dung thanked the professor and the foundation for their support to Vietnamese underprivileged children, noting that the foundation has conducted surgeries for over 3,000 Vietnamese children with cleft palate over the past 20 years.

Professor Natsume Nagato affirmed the association will continue its efforts to help defective Vietnamese children and suggested that the two sides enhance cooperation not only in this field but also in cancer prevention.

The same day, PM Dung joined other ASEAN leaders at a tea party hosted by the Japanese Emperor and Empress, and a banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

He is scheduled to participate in the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit to mark the 40 th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan dialogue relations and the fifth Mekong-Japan summit on December 14.-VNA