The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu and his spouse, Kanagawa Governor Kuroiwa Yuji, prominent Vietnamese intellectuals in Japan including Professor Tran Van Tho, and around 150 representatives of Vietnamese associations and groups in Japan.

At the forum, Governor Kuroiwa delivered remarks in Vietnamese, drawing an emotional response from participants. He expressed hope that the event would help deepen relations between Japan and Vietnam, adding that “I love Vietnam.”

More than a conventional seminar, the “Vietnam Cultural Bridge in Japan” forum served as a platform for open and direct discussions on issues facing the Vietnamese community in Japan. The programme opened with a community exhibition featuring Vietnamese cultural identity and heritage across different periods.

The event also covered in-depth discussions on preserving, promoting and spreading Vietnamese culture in Japan, alongside sessions on resource connectivity, cooperation opportunities and communication strategies in the digital era.

The second part of the programme focused on initiatives linked to preserving and promoting Vietnamese cultural values in Japan.

A highlight of the event was the award ceremony for the contest “Storytelling with Children – Preserving Vietnamese Today”, launched from April 30 to May 19, 2026. Organisers said the contest went beyond a conventional talent competition, becoming an effort to nurture love for the Vietnamese language among children growing up overseas.

Addressing the event, Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu laid stress on the role of culture in bringing the two countries and peoples closer together.

“Even in the past, cultural factors helped bring our two countries and peoples closer. I believe that in the future, cultural bonds, cultural bridges and cultural similarities will continue to help bilateral relations grow deeper and stronger,” he said.

The event also included activities honouring individuals and organisations for their long-standing contributions to preserving Vietnamese cultural identity within the community.

On the occasion, the Vietnam Traditional Arts and Culture Association in Japan announced its 2026-2027 development strategy, featuring activities such as the second “Patriotic Concert”, a Vietnam-Japan cultural music video project, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Vietnamese cuisine festival, and the “Homeland Spring” art programme.

Organisers described the event as an important milestone in shaping strategies to preserve and promote Vietnamese cultural values amid integration in Japan.

Vietnam–Japan cultural contest empowers youth, boosts tourism exchange

VOV.VN - A cultural exchange competition highlighting Vietnam–Japan relations concluded in Hanoi on May 5, offering young participants a platform to explore shared values and promote tourism through creative perspectives.