Mr Kira told the Vietnam News Agency on October 21 that during the global economic downturn, Asia may emerge as a world economic growth centre, in which the countries of Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam and Indonesia, play an important role.

The diplomat said the Japanese state budget has changed considerably since the DPJ assumed power but Japan is still willing to approve ODA projects for Vietnam.

In March 2009, a Diet member delegation from the DPJ, including its then Secretary General Katsuya Okada and Mr Kira, paid a visit to Vietnam. Mr Okada later became Japan’s foreign minister. Meanwhile, the current Japanese prime minister is the vice president of the Japan-Vietnam parliamentary member alliance. All these, Mr Kira said, have created especially favourable conditions for Japan-Vietnam ties to develop.