The football tournament “FAVIJA KANSAI CUP 2023” was held on November 12 in Japan’s Shiga prefecture with the participation of 20 teams of overseas Vietnamese and Japanese people, VNA reported.

This is part of the culture-sports exchange activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (1973-2023).

20 amateur Vietnamese and Japanese teams were selected from many teams registered to compete.

The annual game was organized by the Vietnam-Japan Cultural and Sports Exchange Association (FAVIJA) under the auspices of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan.

This sports tournament has a great role and significance in promoting the development of sports activities. It is not only a sports playground, but it is also an opportunity for Vietnamese people living far from home to come closer together, share, and help each other.

After an exciting and dramatic day of competition, the championship belonged to FC Vuon Cu, the runner-up was FC NTO, and the two teams tied for third place were FC Kobe Viet and FC Star.

The organizers also awarded the Best Player award to player Nguyen Duc Di and the Best Goalkeeper award to player Tran Hai Dang of Old Vuon Cu FC.

The 3 players sharing the top scorer award are Hoang Xuan Tien (FC Kobe Viet), Nguyen Duc Di (FC Vuon Cu), Lai Dang Minh (FC NTO)

The 4 teams with the best results also won the right to participate in the Vietnamese National Championship Cup in Japan held on December 10 this year in Tokyo.

Nguyen Huu Long, head of the tournament’s organizing board, highlighted the significance of the tournament as it took place in the year that marks a special anniversary of Vietnam and Japan.

Overseas Vietnamese and local people came to the stadium to cheer, creating a vibrant and cozy international exchange space, and strengthening the close relationship between overseas Vietnamese and local people.

Meanwhile, Yano Takaaki, representative of Wise Kansai Company, a co-sponsor of this year's tournament, said that besides employment support for Vietnamese young people, Japanese companies also want to give them a warm, joyful, and healthy atmosphere as a way to enhance mutual understanding between the people of the two countries.

Trade between Kansai and Vietnam hit USD 12 billion in 2022, up 24.2% year-on-year. As of the end of 2022, the region invested in approximately 850 projects worth over USD 9 billion in Vietnam. Currently, approximately 90,000 Vietnamese people are living, studying, and working in Kansai.

Earlier, in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, nearly 300 athletes from Vietnamese localities and clubs and Japan competed at a Judo tournament marking the bilateral ties, and the 2023 Open Judo Championship Ba Ria-Vung Tau in the southern province from November 9-11.

The tournament was among a series of activities of the Vietnam-Japan Culture Week in the province, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

With seven gold medals, the Japan team came first in the tournament. It was followed by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau team, with one gold, three silver, and four bronze medals, and the Vietnam team with three silvers and four bronzes.

Meanwhile, the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Sports Training and Competition Centre topped the 2023 Open Judo Championship Ba Ria-Vung Tau with three gold, three silver and five bronze medals.

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