PM receives leaders of friendship associations, meets Vietnamese community in Japan

The Vietnamese cabinet leader outlined his hope that the associations will continue making contributions to promoting ties between Vietnam and Japan in general, as well as with Hiroshima in particular, in order to ensure that the relationships will become more stable, effective, and fruitful moving forward the future.

The associations should call on enterprises from Hiroshima Prefecture to invest and ramp up business operations in the Vietnamese market, he said.

They have also been urged to promote people-to-people exchanges and cultural connections between both sides, as well as supporting Vietnamese expatriates in the southcentral region of Japan to promote their important role in connecting the two nations.

Akagi Tatsuo, vice president of the Hiroshima - Vietnam Peace and Friendship Association, noted that Vietnam represents Japan's closest partner in Asia.

He affirmed that the friendship associations will actively implement schemes following the PM’s orientations and recommendations, thereby making greater contributions to mutual ties.

The same day saw PM Chinh had a meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Japan.

At the meeting, Ambassador Hieu stated that the 476,000-strong Vietnamese community is the second largest foreign community in the Far East country, whilst it is the second biggest Vietnamese community in the world.

The community comprises of roughly 250,000 workers and apprentices, about 50,000 students, 60,000 engineers, and about 50,000 residents. Vietnamese people, mostly youngsters, are living, working, and studying in all 47 cities and provinces throughout Japan.

They have enjoyed favourable conditions from the host government in terms of living, studying, and doing business, said the Ambassador.

Representatives of the community showed elation at the PM's participation at the expanded G7 summit, which affirms Vietnam's rising position in international relations. They expressed confidence at the strong growth and bright future ahead for the country.

They also offered a number of proposals for the development of the Vietnamese community and the promotion of  the nation’s image in Japan, as well as policies allowing them to make greater contributions to the homeland.

Rejoicing over the growth of the Vietnamese community in Japan, PM Chinh underlined that the Party and State always holds the overseas Vietnamese community as an important and inseparable part of the nation, with this group being part of the country’s development motivation.

The Party and State always works hard to care for the community and hopes for their contributions to the Fatherland, he said.

The Government leader highlighted the close relations between both sides, noting that in only two years since Japanese PM Fumio Kishida took office, the two PMs have met six times to discuss ways to further expand the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Currently, Japan makes up the largest ODA provider of Vietnam, whilst also being the third biggest investor, the third largest tourism market, and the fourth biggest trade partner, he said. He added that the two sides have exchanged viewpoints and shown close co-ordination at multilateral forums. With this being a good condition for the Vietnamese community in Japan to develop, he stressed.

Briefing the community on the Vietnamese situation, PM Chinh said that during the past 35 years since implementing the "Doi Moi" (renewal) cause, Vietnam’s economic scale has hit US$409 billion, with per capita income rising to US$4,100, and export revenue reaching US$371 billion in 2022.

Vietnam has entered the list of 20 leading economies in terms of international trade and signed roughly 100 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, as well as having more than 60 investment protection deals with partners, he said, adding that the living conditions of locals have been greatly improved, with ensured security-defence and expanded external relations.

Taking note of the proposals of the community, PM Chinh said that the Government hopes for more ideas from the community and will bring them into policies and laws during the institution completion.

He therefore asked the Embassy and representative agencies in Japan to take better care of the community, whilst extending regards of Vietnamese Party, State, and National Assembly leaders to them.