The Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Association of Kawasaki has donated around 200 bicycles to underprivileged children in the districts of Hoa Vang, Cam Le and Ngu Hanh Son of Da Nang City every year since 2003.

Representatives of the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Association of Kawasaki deliver bikes to poor children in Da Nang. — Photo courtesy Tomo Usuda

The association said the bike donation project, which was organised by Haruo Miyahara, director of the association in 2003, has delivered over 12,000 second-hand bikes to school children facing financial difficulties in Da Nang and Quang Nam.

Volunteers helped collect and package the bikes in containers for shipping from Kawasaki port to Da Nang and delivering them to kids living in Da Nang and Quang Nam.

Miyahara confirmed that this project would continue and develop to further boost friendship and cooperation in the future.

The Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association was established by the Japanese veterans who remained in Viet Nam after the second world war to fight for Vietnamese independence. It was established on March 19, 1955, when they returned to Japan.

Da Nang and Hoi An boost cultural exchange with Japan by hosting the annual Viet Nam-Japan Culture Exchange Festival in August.

Japan plans to open a Consulate General in Da Nang as a way of boosting tourism and exchange between Japan and the central city.

Japanese language teaching has been offered at some junior secondary schools as part of the city’s foreign language teaching programme for 2012-20.

Da Nang also reserved a 1.2ha area for developing the Japan-Viet Nam Culture Centre in Ngu Hanh Son District. It has also launched direct flights from Da Nang to Osaka and Narita.

VNF/VNS