Ahead of the official visit to Vietnam by Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Kishida Fumio, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam shared the meaning of this visit and the potential for developing an extensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam. (Source: VNA)

Could the Ambassador evaluate the significance of the upcoming official visit to Vietnam by Japanese PM Kishida Fumio?

At the invitation of the Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh, PM Kishida Fumio will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 30 to May 1.

This visit to Vietnam by PM Kishida is part of a trip to three countries in the region, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. This is also the second visit to the region in over a month, following his visits to India and Cambodia in March.

The visit takes place in the context of a very complicated world and regional situation, clearly showing that Japan highly appreciates the position of ASEAN in general and Vietnam in particular.

Most importantly, PM Kishida's visit to Vietnam takes place only 5 months after PM Pham Minh Chinh's very successful visit to Japan in November 2021. This is also his first visit to Vietnam in the new position after 6 months in office.

The visit implies that Japan and PM Kishida personally continue to attach special importance to Vietnam's role and position in the region and the world, as well as having a lot of affection for Vietnam, an important and trustworthy partner of Japan.

The visit will create a strong impetus, further deepen the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries as well as strengthen the close relationship between PM Kishida personally and Vietnamese leaders, therefore contributing to strengthening political trust between the two countries on the basis of affection, sincerity, and trust.

During Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan, the two countries' senior leaders repeatedly emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is at the best stage of development in history. However, there is still a lot of potential for further development.

With this reciprocal visit by PM Kishida, the two countries express their determination to bring the partnership to a new level, develop more comprehensively, and actively look forward to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam – Japan diplomatic relations in 2023.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio welcomes Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 24. (Source: VNA)

With such special meanings, how will this visit continue the results achieved from PM Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan last year?

During the recent visit to Japan by PM Chinh, the two countries' senior leaders had in-depth exchanges and identified major orientations as well as specific measures to deepen the already very good and comprehensive bilateral relationship.

Immediately after the visit, the ministries/sectors/localities/enterprises of the two sides have actively promoted the implementation of commitments and agreements reached between the two countries' senior leaders to realize the Joint Declaration “Towards opening a new phase of the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia” in many fields.

Only 5 months after that milestone, cooperation in various fields, from politics, diplomacy, defense, security, investment, trade, ODA, health, education and training, high-tech agriculture, science, and technology, etc. are actively and substantively deployed.

Many commitments made during this visit by PM Chinh were fulfilled, from the resumption of regular flights between the two countries, the application of vaccine passports, and the opening of boundaries for Vietnamese workers, interns, and students to enter Japan… to efforts to discuss to remove obstacles in the implementation of ODA capital, promote key transport infrastructure projects.

Returning to Vietnam this time in his new position, PM Kishida is expected to meet with Vietnam's senior leaders, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, PM Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue; receive the Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group; attend the Conference on cooperation in technology innovation, digital transformation…

The two sides will review and agree on specific measures to make sure that PM Kishida's visit is a milestone in “opening up a new phase” of the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership. The two countries will strengthen cooperation in substantive areas such as promoting trade turnover, creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products, to be exported to Japan, and promoting the new-generation ODA loan program. They will also promote high-quality investment, enhanced technology transfer, supply chain diversification, digital transformation, cooperation in vaccine and drug development for Covid-19 treatment, human resource development, urban smart, transport infrastructure, climate change response, cooperation between localities, people-to-people exchanges... to meet the mutual interests and aspirations of the two peoples.

Economic cooperation, trade, investment, and tourism are a bright spot and a driving force for economic recovery for both Vietnam and Japan after the Covid-19 pandemic. Through this visit, what expectations does the Ambassador have for bilateral cooperation in these fields? On this occasion, what message would you express to Vietnamese enterprises wishing to do business in the Japanese market in the post-Covid-19 context with stricter quarantine regulations?

Before the pandemic, economic cooperation, trade, investment, and tourism were always prominent areas of cooperation. It can be said that, for many years, Japan has always been in the group of leading investment, trade, and tourism partners of Vietnam.

Even during the outbreak of the Covid-19, the relationship between the two countries in all aspects still developed very strongly, firmly, and substantively.

In 2021, the total import-export turnover between Vietnam and Japan recorded a growth of 7.8% compared to 2020, reaching $42.7 billion. In the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam's exports to Japan reached US$5.4 billion, a 10.6% increase over the same period last year while imports rose 4.8% to reach US$5.1 billion.

After the visit of PM Pham Minh Chinh, many Japanese businesses came to the Embassy to find out information as well as discuss investment and business expansion plans in Vietnam. Many Japanese people also expressed their desire to travel to Vietnam soon.

During his official visit to Japan, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received former Japanese PM Hatoyama Yukio. (Source: VGP)

In the current context, when both countries are in the process of opening up, promoting trade, and recovering the economy, I firmly believe that these areas of cooperation will witness outstanding growth in the future. There will be a new investment wave of Japanese businesses in Vietnam, a reliable address for many Japanese investors.

Bilateral trade will increase sharply, especially when the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) come into effect. Many high-quality products from Vietnam, especially agricultural goods will be introduced to Japanese consumers. Tourism will also witness a flourish when the pandemic is gradually controlled. Cooperation in labor, human resources, education, and training... will develop strongly.

For Vietnamese enterprises looking for opportunities in the Japanese market, an important factor to keep in mind is to build a comprehensive brand for your products. Businesses must ensure from the stage of production, quality, design, and packaging to meet local requirements and local tastes, and keep credibility while doing business.

Manufacturing in the post-Covid-19 period requires stricter quarantine regulations than before. Vietnamese businesses need to always be instilled with the idea that they need to sell products that suit the needs, tastes, and culture of the targeted customers. Then, enterprises can invest, and quickly transform the manufacturing processes to meet safety standards under new normal conditions. These standards should not be considered as trade barriers that importing countries pose.

Meeting the strict standards of the Japanese market is also a passport for our goods to be easily accepted in many other markets.

When the Covid-19 pandemic posed many negative impacts on the Vietnamese community in Japan, the Vietnamese Intellectuals Association in Japan made a strong adaptation and organized many effective and meaningful activities. How do you think the role of the Association should be promoted in the new situation?

The Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in Japan (AVIJ), established in November 2019, gathers and connects individuals and groups of Vietnamese intellectuals in Japan, to create an information channel and elevate the role and position of the Vietnamese intellectual community in Japan.

Immediately after its establishment, in the context of the strong outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, which negatively affected the Vietnamese community in Japan, the Association made a strong adaptation and organized many effective activities. One is the Vietnam Summit in Japan in 2019 and 2021, attracting the participation of a large number of speakers and guests from the Government's ministries and agencies and leading Vietnamese researchers and experts in and outside Japan.

Importantly, despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Association successfully organized the 2nd Vietnamese Intellectual Forum in Japan in November 2021 on a virtual platform. Themed “Transformation: new values ​​- new ways”, this forum connects and gathers the Vietnamese intellectual community in Japan to share and discuss the opportunities and problems that Vietnam is currently facing after the Covid-19 pandemic and propose many solutions.

On April 16, the Association successfully held the Congress for the 2019-2021 term, consolidating the Executive Board for the 2021-2023 term, aiming to professionalize the Association's activities.

In this current situation, I think the Association needs to continue to promote its role in connecting Vietnamese scientists, experts, and intellectuals in Japan. They can effectively connect the activities of the Association of Intellectuals and other groups of the Vietnamese community in Japan, and connect Vietnamese intellectuals in Japan and the science and technology in our home country. The Association can contribute to promoting cooperation and transfer of technology, techniques, culture, education... between Vietnam and Japan; and effectively contribute to the development of science and technology in our country./.

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