HCM City to host 8th Vietnam – Japan Festival

HCM City (VNA) - The 8th Vietnam – Japan Festival – the biggest of this kind will take place in Ho Chi Minh on February 23 – 26 as part of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, heard a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on February 16.

Organised based on the concepts of "bilateral cooperation", "co-existence and development", and "building for the future" between Japan and Vietnam, the festival aims to act as a bridge facilitating mutual understanding of culture and tradition between the two countries through holding cultural and sports exchanges.

According to Director of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs Tran Phuoc Anh, the festival themed “Holding hands together. Towards the future, reaching out to the world” will contribute to affirming the Vietnam – Japan extensive strategic partnership in general and the relations between HCM City and Japan in particular.

Addressing the meeting, Japanese Consul General in HCM City Watanabe Nobuhiros highlighted the fruitful development of Vietnam – Japan relations, saying that culture, sport and tourism cooperation between the two countries has recorded positive results, contributing to fostering cooperation and friendship between their people.

Metro Line No.1 in HCM City, which is scheduled to become operational in late 2023, will be a symbol of investment and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, he said.

Japan is one of the three largest foreign investors in Vietnam. The number of Japanese tourists vising Vietnam increases through the years. As many as 2,000 Japanese businesses are operating in Vietnam./.