The Japanese government will provide Vietnam with another official development assistance (ODA) package of more than 25.8 billion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2009, raising the total Japanese ODA commitment to the country in the year to a record high of over 145.6 billion yen.

A diplomatic note to this effect was signed by Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc and Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Sakaba Mitsuo at a ceremony held in Hanoi on March 2.

Part of the ODA package is to help the Vietnamese government carry out a project to build another terminal at the Noi Bai International Airport.

The remainder is also for large infrastructure projects including the building of Nhat Tan bridge in Hanoi, and the upgrading of a road section on National Highway 1 linking the Mekong Delta province of Can Tho with the southernmost province of Ca Mau, and the building of the Hoa Lac hi-tech park.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister Phuc spoke highly of the Japanese Government’s assistance granted to Vietnam over the past years.

It shows that the Japanese government attaches great importance to the strategic partnership relation with Vietnam, said Phuc.

For his part, Japanese Ambassador Sakaba Mitsuo stressed that Japan shares strategic interests with Vietnam and the assistance is also for Japanese benefits.

Japan has been registered as Vietnam’s largest donor since 1992 when it resumed ODA for Vietnam./.