On behalf of Kyodo, I’d like to offer my wholehearted congratulations to Mr Nguyen Duc Loi – General Director of the Vietnam News Agency and all of its staff on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the news agency on September 15. I wish VNA much success in years ahead.

Kyodo News also marks the 75th anniversary of its founding in November this year and meaning VNA and Kyodo were born in the same year.

As Vietnam is continuing rapid economic growth and the strengthening its economic ties with Japan every year, VNA plays a central role at the organization of Asia-Pacific news agencies as an international news agency.

VNA also has the long established friendly and cooperating relationship with Kyodo as an important partner for us. The two news agencies have been strengthening its relationship with their leaders’ regularly exchange visits in the past 20 years.

In 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic, called a once-in-a-century event, is hitting the earth, continuing to make headlines around the world. Measures taken by Vietnam against the new Coronavirus are gathering global attention as an example of success.

I have hoped to see people from VNA at the Tokyo Olympic this summer. As they have been postponed for year, I now look forwards to seeing them next year, hoping the international community will have overcome the Coronavirus crisis.

As the transition is rapidly advancing on a global scale, new convenient tools represented by smartphones have enabled end users to exchange a huge amount of information. And meanwhile such issues as fake news has emerged around the world. The coronavirus has proven that news agency function and role of delivering fair and accurate news quickly is becoming more important than ever before.

I would like to congratulate VNA on its 75th anniversary at the same time I hope to see the further development of the world media industry and journalism. 

VNA