Tokyo (VNA) – For the people of Mimasaka in Okayama prefecture, Japan, the name of Ho Chi Minh is both familiar and revered, much like other great figures in the world history, according to Mayor Hagiwara Seiji.
Speaking with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondent on the occasion of the 135th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, Hagiwara said Mimasaka is proud to host the statue “Ho Chi Minh reading a newspaper,” the first of its kind in Japan. Each year, the statue draws numerous visitors from both Japan and abroad who come to pay their respects to the late leader.
The Mayor underscored that the name of Ho Chi Minh has earned the admiration of the Japanese people and has become closely associated with universal values of leadership and dedication.
People-to-people ties serve as the cornerstone of the relationship between Mimasaka and Vietnam, the mayor said. Currently, around 400 Vietnamese nationals are residing, studying, and working in the city, where they are warmly welcomed by local residents. Mimasaka has established partnerships with Da Nang University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology to support human resource training. Since early 2025, two Vietnamese nationals have officially worked at the Mimasaka City Hall.
Local businesses are also actively investing in Vietnam, and the Mimasaka administration is exploring cooperative opportunities with Vietnam’s Yen Bai province.
Looking ahead, Hagiwara stated that the city will prioritise strengthening people-to-people exchanges, a solid foundation for all forms of collaboration. He expressed his strong interest in advancing training cooperation, including the dispatch and reception of nursing personnel from Yen Bai, as well as developing bilateral tourism initiatives.
The city is encouraging its residents to visit Vietnam and is simultaneously promoting tourism in Mimasaka, particularly targeting the Vietnamese community living in Japan.
The Mayor affirmed the city’s long-term commitment to creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to live and work in Mimasaka. He expressed his confidence that the deep respect for President Ho Chi Minh and the sincere affection for Vietnam will continue to underpin the strong and growing ties between the two sides./.
