The Japanese government attaches importance to developing multifaceted relations with Vietnam, said Japanese Minister of State for National Policy Sengoku Yoshito.

In a reception given by Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Secretariat in Hanoi on May 4, Minister Sengoku Yoshito affirmed Japan’s close working with Vietnamese relevant agencies to implement the two countries’ agreements, particularly in economies, investment, energy, urban planning and development, human resource training.

The Japanese Minister stressed that Japan in its capacity as APEC President and Vietnam as ASEAN Chair in 2010 will have more opportunities for cooperation in regional and international issues.

He said his current visit to Vietnam is to accelerate the implementation of the strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia between the two countries.

Sang affirmed Vietnam’s persistent policy of attaching importance and unceasingly developing comprehensive cooperation with Japan.

He spoke highly of effective cooperation and assistance of the Japanese government, parliament and people towards Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international economic integration.

He wished Minsiter Sengoku Yoshito to continue make contributions to developing the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan for interests of both peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

Also on the same day in Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai received Minister Sengoku Yoshito and Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Seiji Maehara, affirming Vietnam’s desire to continue boosting ties with Japan – an ASEAN important partner.

He spoke highly of the effectiveness of infrastructure construction projects in Vietnam using Japan ’s official development assistance (ODA).

Apart from maintaining and increasing ODA investment in Vietnam, the two countries need to expand cooperation model of public-private partnership to attract more diversity of capital resources, he said.

The Deputy PM underlined the development of infrastructure, including the construction of the North-South express highway and railway, which, he said, is of important significance in accelerating the country’s socio-economic development.

The two Japanese Ministers informed Deputy PM Hai of outcomes during their working sessions with Vietnamese ministries and departments on construction of the North-South express railway, human resource training programme and waste water treatment projects.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan shared Vietnam’s experiences in developing human resources with his guest, Minister Sengoku Yoshito.

He said that the joint agreement under which Japan will help train 1,000 Vietnamese doctoral degree holders would help provide a high-quality human resources for Vietnam, serving the country’s development.

Affirming Japan's wishes to contribute to Vietnam’s development, Minister Sengoku Yoshito said that his country always creates favourable conditions for Vietnamese students to study in Japan.

Minister Sengoku Yoshito was also received by Hoang Binh Quan, member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Head of the CPVCC’s Commission for External Relations and Ho Duc Viet, Chairman of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians Union./.