Tokyo (VNA) – Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien held a series of meetings with high-ranking Japanese leaders in Tokyo during his three-day visit ending on July 29.
In their meeting, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa praised Vietnam's ongoing reforms under the leadership of Party General Secretary To Lam, believing that these changes would further improve the investment environment for Japanese enterprises operating in Vietnam.
He called for close coordination to ensure the success of the upcoming vice ministerial-level dialogue between their foreign and defence ministries and accelerate Japan’s official security assistance programme for Vietnam.
Hayashi also thanked Vietnam for its support in hosting the ongoing Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 and invited Vietnam to the World Horticultural Exhibition 2027 in Yokohama.
Chien, in response, underscored Vietnam’s high regard for its relationship with Japan, describing it as a top priority in its all-around collaboration.
He confirmed Vietnam’s active involvement in the upcoming bilateral vice-ministerial dialogue and voiced strong support for Japan’s vocational training policy for foreign residents in Japan, including Vietnamese.
Spotlighting opportunities for collaboration in science and education, he expressed confidence that the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations would yield substantial results across multiple sectors. He also believed that both nations would offer mutual support within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
Meeting Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives Gemba Koichiro, Chien noted the substantive and effective development of bilateral ties, marked by growing political trust.
Gemba acknowledged that Vietnam now accounts for the largest number of technical interns in Japan and pledged to refine mechanisms to welcome Vietnamese workers and support their integration into Japanese society. He also encouraged Vietnam to improve the investment environment and facilitate Japanese business operations in its localities.
Talking with Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Central Committee Kazuo Shii, Chien provided an overview of Vietnam’s domestic situation and the broad consensus on key policies and orientations within the CPV and the public.
Shii expressed his desire to deepen the long-lasting relationship between the JCP and the CPV, which dates back to the 1960s. He affirmed that his party would continue working to protect the legitimate rights of Vietnamese nationals in Japan and fight against discrimination and rights violations against foreigners.
In a conversation with Chairwoman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance and head of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Organisation Movement Headquarters Obuchi Yuko, Chien praised the alliance’s pivotal role in further deepening bilateral collaboration.
He expressed confidence that Obuchi’s upcoming visit to Vietnam in August would contribute to fostering the relationship between lawmakers of both countries.
Obuchi, in turn, highlighted the impact of direct parliamentary exchanges in advancing bilateral ties and noted the popularity of the annual Vietnam Festival in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park, which drew about 300,000 visitors to its 18th edition in May, showcasing the attractiveness of Vietnamese culture and cuisine.
Meeting with Chief Representative of the Komeito Party and Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Saito Tetsuo, the Vietnamese official expressed gratitude for Japan’s substantial official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam.
He acknowledged the Komeito Party and its Chief Representative’s contributions to developing Vietnam-Japan relations across various fields, especially through parliamentary exchanges and government-level cooperation projects.
Saito referenced his April 2024 discussions with Vietnam’s transport minister, which focused on deepening infrastructure cooperation, and expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties despite global uncertainty.
Chien also met with President of the International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) Ken Matsuzawa, and had warm exchanges with associations and groups in Japan. He toured the Tokyo University of Science, where he met with its leaders, visited the research lab of Vietnamese professor Pham Nam Hai, and interacted with Vietnamese students studying and conducting research there.
Earlier on July 27, Chien and his entourage met with members of the Vietnamese community in Japan as well as officials and staff at the Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo./.
