Japanese King and Queen meet with Vietnamese alumni

On the morning of March 2, at the Temple of Literature, the Japanese Emperor and Empress had an exchange with former Vietnamese students who studied in Japan.

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From early morning, former Vietnamese students in Japan and 12th grade students majoring in Japanese at Chu Van An High School, representing high school students in the capital, were present in large numbers at Thai Hoc yard, Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam, waiting to meet and talk with the Japanese King and Queen.

Students of the Japanese language class at Chu Van An School wait to welcome the Japanese King and Queen.

Hearing the news that Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko were making their first official visit to Vietnam, the Japanese community in Vietnam also waited to welcome the Emperor and Empress outside the Temple of Literature.

Outside the Temple of Literature, the Japanese community in Vietnam was also present to welcome the Japanese King and Queen.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko appeared simply and smiled at Vietnamese students and former international students in Japan, and kindly asked about the current work situation of former Vietnamese international students in Japan.

As soon as they got out of the car, King Akihito and the Queen smiled and waved to the Vietnamese and Japanese people standing on both sides of the road.

Talking with Vietnamese students and former international students in Japan, the King and Queen were especially interested in their current difficulties in learning Japanese as well as how learning Japanese and knowledge learned in Japan have contributed to each person's career as well as to the development of Vietnam and the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Japan.

Vietnamese students and former international students expressed their honor to welcome and talk with the Japanese Emperor and Empress, affirming that this is a great encouragement for those who love Japanese language and culture, and at the same time believing that this will contribute to further promoting the movement of learning Japanese in Vietnam.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko met with Vietnamese students and international students in Japan at the Temple of Literature.

The Japanese Emperor and Empress wished the former Vietnamese students in Japan to complete their work well and continue to be a bridge for cultural and economic exchanges between Vietnam and Japan to become increasingly better and deeper.

As one of the first people to be visited by King Akihito, Ms. Ngo Minh Thuy - Vice Principal of the University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, President of the Vietnamese Alumni Club in Japan expressed her honor, emotion and pride. "I feel very happy. The Japanese King and Queen are very simple and close. The questions that the King and Queen asked us are very close to the things we care about. I think that the King and Queen attach great importance to education, attach great importance to the team of students as a bridge between the two countries" - Ms. Ngo Minh Thuy shared.

Ms. Ngo Minh Thuy (far left) and several former Vietnamese students in Japan were interviewed by Japanese press about their feelings after meeting and interacting with the King and Queen.

Having studied in Japan since 1988, Mr. Nghiem Vu Khai, a member of the 14th National Assembly, Honorary President of the Vietnamese Alumni Club in Japan, and a member of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians Group, considers himself a second generation "traveling to the East".

Having the honor of talking with King Akihito at the meeting on the morning of March 2, he said that Vietnamese students studying in Japan today are the third generation of "Eastern Journey" and expressed his joy that King Akihito also shared this view.

Mr. Nghiem Vu Khai also said that the fact that King Akihito and Queen Michiko took the time to meet former Vietnamese students in Japan demonstrated the great concern of the Royal Family, the State and the people of Japan, wishing to help the Vietnamese people train high-quality human resources as well as build a bridge between the two nations.

During the State Banquet with President Tran Dai Quang on the evening of March 1, Emperor Akihito also recalled that since the beginning of the 20th century, there was a time when the "Eastern Journey" movement brought about 200 Vietnamese youth to study in Japan.

Over the past 40 years since Japan and Vietnam established diplomatic relations in 1973, exchange activities between the two countries have been increasingly expanded. Currently, there are about 180,000 Vietnamese people, including international students and trainees, living, studying and working in Japan. Of these, about 500 Vietnamese people are interning at hospitals and welfare facilities to become nurses and caregivers working in Japan in the future.

Emperor Akihito expressed his delight at the cultural exchange events between Japan and Vietnam held in many places in both countries, attracting many people to enjoy music, cuisine, etc. of each country. Learning Japanese in Vietnam is also receiving more and more attention, for example, some elementary schools have started teaching Japanese.

In the context of increasingly in-depth exchanges between the two peoples, and at the same time, cultural closeness is enhanced as it is today, His Majesty hopes that this visit of the King and Queen will contribute to further strengthening mutual understanding as well as the bond of friendship between the two peoples.

According to VOV