VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang speaks at the opening of the photo exhibition, themed “Vietnam-Japan: Towards the Future, Reaching out to the World” (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) – A photo exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties opened in Hanoi on August 3 morning.
Co-organised by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and Japan’s Kyodo News, the event featured 50 memorable moments across all aspects of life, including politics, socio-economy and culture.
Deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and Editor-in-Chief of Nhan dan newspaper Le Quoc Minh, VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang, President of Kyodo News Mizutani Toru and other delegates cut the ribbon to open the exhibition.
Delegates cut the ribbon to open the exhibition (Photo: VietnamPlus) Themed “Vietnam-Japan: Towards the Future, Reaching out to the World”, the event aimed to spread cooperation achievements made by the two countries over the past half a century, featuring a total of 50 photos captured by journalists from both news agencies. The exhibition also highlighted the potential and prospects of further development in the cooperative relationship between the two nations in the future.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, VNA General Director Trang stressed that each photo captures a significant milestone in the relationship between the two countries. It represents the strategic development of the Vietnam-Japan relationship, the regular high-level visits between leaders, and the signing and implementation of numerous cooperation agreements. These demonstrate the substantial contributions of their people and businesses to promoting socio-economic development of each nation.
According to her, the exhibition also introduces values that foster the connection between the two peoples, including the interplay of distinctive cultural traditions and notably, the spirit of mutual support during times of adversity, such as Japan's response to the tsunami disaster and Japan's wholehearted assistance to Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Toru, for his part, said the Japanese people are always grateful to the Vietnamese fellows’ support following the earthquake-tsunami in the east in 2011. Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world, leading to travel restrictions. However, in the future, he expressed his belief that the number of Japanese people visiting Vietnam and vice versa will grow remarkably.
President of Kyodo News MizutaniToru speaks at the opening ceremony (Photo: VietnamPlus) He wished that photos at the event would offer visitors and the Vietnamese people an insight into the diversity of the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership, and affirmed that coordination between VNA and Kyodo News in organising the event will contribute to further deepening ties between the two nations.
The two agencies have built a very close and friendly relationship. The exhibition is indeed an even more impressive milestone that helps strengthen their bond. For both countries, he hoped that their relationship will continue to thrive, and each individual will contribute to deepening this relationship over time, he added.
He also expressed his hope that Japan and Vietnam will continue working together to foster deep cooperation and build a world of peace and stability.
VNA and Kyodo News established cooperative ties in the 1980s. Throughout every stage of development, they provided each other with highly effective support and assistance in various areas, as well as at multilateral forums, which help them fulfill media missions by delivering accurate, timely, and modern information to the public in both countries and spreading news to the world at large.
Several images at the event:
Through the lenses of photographers from VNA and Kyodo News, the 50 moments showcased at the event span across every realm of cooperation between the two countries (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and Japanese Prime Minister Aso Taro sign a Joint Statement on the Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia in 2009 (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Photos capture a series of cultural, education exchange activities, reflecting the comprehensive view of bilateral cooperation (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Emperor of Japan Akihito and Empress Michiko visit the ancient capital of Hue to the welcome of local residents in 2017 (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The flight carrying one million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, as aid from Japan, arrives in Hanoi in August 2021 (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Nhat Tan bridge in Hanoi, one of the symbolic structures representing the strong friendship between Vietnam and Japan (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
