On May 23, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Tokyo, successfully concluding his official visit to Japan for the 15^th “Future of Asia” Summit.

In his speech delivered at the summit, Mr Dung talked about the six solutions for consolidating confidence based on sustainable development, undertaken by the government, taking joint action among regional countries to stem the financial crisis, enhancing Asia’s role in building a global trade framework and reforming the regional monetary and financial system.

Dr Tesuya from Tokyo University described Mr Dung’s speech as a good and engaging one because it put forth bold measures to narrow the development gap between developed and developing countries in the region.

Prior to the talks with PM Nguyen Tan Dung on May 22, Japanese PM Taro Aso said that his government’s target until 2020 is to speed up Asia’s growth to become a top economic power. Japan will mobilise all resources to meet this target which will take into account a plan to increase ODA funding to US$67 billion for five countries in the sub-Mekong region including Vietnam, said Mr Taro Aso.

The Japanese government is willing to increase ODA funds to Vietnam to implement major projects to build roads, a north-south high-speed railway, the Hoa Lac hi-tech zone and three transport projects in Hanoi, Hai Phong and HCM City.

Senior officials from the Japanese Diet and leaders from large economic organizations said that PM Dung’s visit to Japan have built on the achievements of Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit to Japan in April, affirming that the strategic partnership between the two countries has developed well, contributing the cause of peace, stability and prosperity in Asia.

In response to Japanese correspondents before wrapping the visit, PM Dung emphasized that Vietnam is currently making great efforts towards national construction and defense under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam after a long struggle for independence and national unification in the 20^th century.

With support from international communities, Vietnam has achieved huge and important successes in many fields, he added.