In his congratulatory speech, Mr Khiem, who began an official visit to Japan on May 22, said the appointment showed the Vietnamese Government’s appreciation for Mr Sugi’s goodwill and effective contributions to promoting cultural, tourism and sports exchanges between Vietnam and Japan.

He expressed his hope that in his new capacity Mr Sugi would practically contribute to promoting those exchanges, particularly supporting Vietnam’s cultural activities in Japan with the aim of increasing mutual understanding between the two nations.

This was the first time the Vietnamese Government has appointed a foreigner to the post.

Mr Sugi thanked the Vietnamese Government for appointing him and vowed to fulfil all tasks in his new position.

Mr Sugi was the first Japanese citizen to have received Vietnam’s Friendship Order presented by President Tran Duc Luong in 1997. He has become a close friend of Vietnamese people through the promotion of cultural exchanges and humanitarian activities for disadvantaged children in Vietnam.

He was one of the first founders of the Japan-Vietnam Cultural Exchange Association and the Japanese Language Centre in Hanoi. He presented buses, ambulances and medicines to several Vietnamese agencies, supported the national anti-illiteracy programme and cared for 20 Vietnamese orphans.