Vietnamese Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung has praised the Vietnamese Youth and Student Association in Japan (VYSA) for their contributions to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan over the past time.

Speaking at the association’s conference on January 19, the ambassador said its activities have helped enrich the spiritual life of Vietnamese youth and students in the host country, thus encouraging them to study and research.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan will pay more attention to the association’s movements and integrate them with events relating to the bilateral ties, the diplomat affirmed.

According to Secretary of the Foreign Office of Japan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Kyoshi Shimonishi, Vietnam and Japan are experiencing fruitful developments in their relationship which are reflected in the high-ranking visits by the two countries’ Government leaders, especially after the celebration of the 40 th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have been deepened, he said, attributing such outcomes to the association’s significant contributions.

He voiced his hope that the association will bring into play its role to make more contributions in the time ahead in order to further develop the Vietnam-Japan relationship.

VYSA President Le Minh Hang said the association aims to enhance cooperation with its branches across Japan while providing more support to overseas Vietnamese students as well as their disadvantaged peers at home in 2014.

Established by the Vietnamese Embassy in 2001, the association has served as a venue for Vietnamese youth and students in Japan to share their hobbies and interests in areas such as sports, culture and art.-VNA