Vietnam - Japan relations are at their best in history.

At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will officially visit Japan from today (November 22) to November 25, 2021. The Vietnamese Prime Minister is the first foreign leader to be invited to an official visit by the new Japanese government after the Liberal Democratic Party won the Japanese general election on October 31.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio during a meeting on the occasion of the COP26 Conference in the UK on November 2, 2021.

During the meeting on the occasion of the COP26 Conference in the UK on November 2, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio discussed issues of mutual concern.

The two sides expressed their delight at the strong and comprehensive development of the Vietnam-Japan Extensive Strategic Partnership and agreed to closely coordinate and organize practical and meaningful activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1973-2023).

Also at this meeting, the Japanese Prime Minister expressed his special affection for the country and people of Vietnam, wished to visit Vietnam soon, and suggested that the two countries coordinate and maintain investment, business and production activities when the epidemic is controlled.

The leaders of the two countries agreed to closely coordinate to develop the Vietnam-Japan relationship strongly, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, contributing to the common prosperity of the region and the world. In that spirit, they agreed to soon arrange high-level visits by the leaders of the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s first official visit to Japan took place in the context of the relationship between the two countries being at its best in history since the establishment of diplomatic relations, with high trust. The two countries’ senior leaders regularly maintain visits and contacts at international and regional forums.

The visit is a step in implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, which was affirmed at the 13th National Party Congress. Vietnam has always been a close and trustworthy friend and partner of Japan and supports Japan in promoting its worthy role in the region and the world, together with Japan, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. Vietnam is ready to join Japan in opening a new, more substantive and effective development period in all fields, especially in economics, security - defense, locality and people-to-people exchange.

Vietnam is ready to have sincere, friendly, trustworthy, frank, substantive and effective exchanges with Japan; promote cooperation in a number of key areas, especially economic cooperation, health care, vaccines, and COVID-19 treatment drugs; security and defense cooperation, and cooperation at multilateral forums on international issues of mutual concern.

Over the past time, the political trust between Vietnam and Japan has been continuously strengthened. The successes and agreements reached during high-level phone calls between the two countries' leaders have created a solid political foundation, promoting cooperation in other fields.

Regarding economic cooperation, Japan has always been Vietnam's leading economic partner; the largest ODA donor, the second largest investor and the fourth largest trade partner of Vietnam. Economic cooperation between the two countries has continued to develop well in recent times.

Cooperation between the two countries in other fields such as national defense and security, labor, agriculture, education, health, science and technology, culture, etc. has developed strongly. Exchanges between localities of the two countries have been expanded. People-to-people exchanges have taken place actively in many forms.

In particular, in the current fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government and people of Japan have carried out many activities to support and donate COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam; Japanese associations and enterprises in Vietnam have actively contributed to the COVID-19 Vaccine Fund. The above noble gestures are vivid evidence of the extensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan and the friendship between the two peoples.

Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1973. Similarities in culture, history, and tradition are important factors that form the glue that binds the two countries and two peoples.

After nearly half a century, the Vietnam-Japan friendship has been continuously nurtured by generations of leaders and people of the two countries, becoming a valuable common asset of both countries. If in 2002, Vietnam and Japan established the relationship of “Trusted and Long-term Stable Partnership”, then only 2 years later, the relationship between the two countries was upgraded to “Sustainable Partnership”.

By 2009, Vietnam and Japan had established a “Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia”. Japan was also the first G-7 country to establish a Strategic Partnership with Vietnam and recognize Vietnam’s market economy status. By 2014, Vietnam and Japan issued a “Joint Statement on Establishing an Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia”.

Japan is currently Vietnam's leading economic partner, the largest ODA donor, the second largest investor, the third largest tourism partner, and the fourth largest trade partner of Vietnam. In terms of education, Japan is one of the largest non-refundable aid providers for Vietnam's education and training sector. The number of Vietnamese students studying in Japan currently reaches more than 80,000.

Agricultural cooperation has made a breakthrough. The two sides signed the "Medium and Long-term Vision for Vietnam - Japan Agricultural Cooperation" (September 2015), re-signed the revised Joint Vision in May 2018, and are implementing the "Medium and Long-term Vision for Vietnam - Japan Agricultural Cooperation Phase 2, 2020-2024".

Cooperation in responding to climate change continues to develop strongly and substantially, with Japan continuously providing ODA in recent years for Vietnam's climate change response projects.

Regarding labor cooperation, since 1992, Vietnam has sent many trainees to Japan. Currently, Vietnam ranks first in the number of foreign trainees in Japan with nearly 220,000 people.

Currently, the Vietnamese community in Japan has reached nearly 450,000 people. There are currently about 20,000 Japanese citizens in Vietnam.