Tokyo (VNA) – Miyake Kazuhisa, former chief representative of Kyodo News in Vietnam, has recently shared his insightful perspectives on the remarkable evolution of Vietnamese journalism, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press Day (June 21).
Talking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents in Japan, Miyake, who served two terms as Kyodo’s bureau chief in Hanoi, reflected on the stark contrast between the two periods.
According to him, his first posting (1996–1997) coincided with Vietnam’s new accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the normalisation of diplomatic ties with the US. At that time, infrastructure was still rudimentary, and real-time access to information was extremely limited. English-language news sources were scarce, largely confined to weekly publications such as Vietnam News and Vietnam Investment Review. Internet-based media had not yet emerged, and attending press conferences or collecting information was a genuine challenge.
By contrast, when Miyake returned for his second term (2010–2015), the landscape transformed dramatically. The rapid rise of online media revolutionised news reporting. He observed a more open media environment, marked by a notable increase in press conferences and events accessible to foreign journalists. Government communications and media engagement also became more frequent, interactive, and professional. The veteran journalist praised this as a highly positive development in Vietnam’s external communications efforts.
Talking about challenges and opportunities facing the media industry in this new era, Miyake stressed that the role of media professionals and journalists has never been more crucial than it is in today’s digital age. He stressed that their foremost duty is to provide accurate and truthful information. In his view, the most important task is to continuously maintain high-quality journalism./.
Japanese veteran journalist praises Vietnamese press’ progress
Kitagawa was first introduced to Vietnamese media in late 1973, when he arrived in Hanoi to study the Vietnamese language at the University of Hanoi. Since then, his connection to Vietnam has deepened through three postings as a correspondent. He currently serves as Vice President of the Tokyo chapter of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association.
