Vietnam, as a close friend of Japan, will do its utmost to share difficulties with the disaster-struck country, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

PM Dung made the statement while visiting the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam on March 17 to extend condolences to the Japanese Government and people over their huge losses caused by the powerful earthquake and massive tsunami which rocked the country on March 11.

Right after the disaster, the Vietnamese Party, State and people have kept close watch on the situation in Japan and very admired the composure and resilience of the Japanese people, he said.

The Government leader affirmed that Vietnam is ready to send health officials to Japan to help the country overcome the consequences of the disaster, adding that the Vietnam Red Cross has appealed for local residents’ donations as well as spiritual support for the Japanese people.

On the occasion, PM Dung thanked the Japanese government and people for their active assistance for the Vietnamese community in Japan over the past days.

“The Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people strongly believe that, with its tradition of resilience and solidarity plus the support of the international community, Japan will soon surmount difficulties to continue developing,” he stressed.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yasuaki Tanizaki thanked and highly valued the Vietnamese government and people’s timely assistance. He affirmed that the Japanese people will unite to overcome the disaster in the earliest time.

He promised that the embassy will coordinate with authorised agencies in Japan to ensure the safety of Vietnamese citizens who are living and working in the country.

On the same day, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam opened a funeral record from March 17-23, except Saturday and Sunday.

In the first day, many ministries, agencies, organisations and individuals come to offer condolences to the Japanese government and people over the serious losses caused by the earthquake and tsunami, especially families of dead people./.