This is Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru's first visit to Vietnam since taking office, and the first visit following the upgrade of bilateral relations to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World" in November 2023.

The ceremony was held with the highest protocol for a visiting head of government. As the two leaders ascended the podium, under the national flags of Vietnam and Japan, the national anthems of both countries were solemnly performed. The two PMs respectfully saluted the national flags.

To the resounding music, PM Chinh invited Ishiba Shigeru to inspect the Guard of Honour of the Vietnam People's Army. The two leaders then introduced the high-level delegations and witnessed a ceremonial military parade.

After the ceremony, both PMs headed to the Government Headquarters for official talks. Before the talks, they toured a photo exhibition on the country, people, and Vietnam-Japan relations, jointly organized by the Government Office and the Vietnam News Agency.

During the visit, the two Government leaders are scheduled to engage in public diplomacy activities and attend the Vietnam-Japan High-Tech, Green Transition, and Semiconductor Forum. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru will also meet with other high-level Vietnamese leaders and participate in other important events.

Over the past 52 years, the Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation have been constantly strengthened and expanded across all fields. Particularly, the elevation of relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership has ushered in a new era of cooperation.

The two countries maintain regular high-level exchanges with strong political trust, effective dialogue mechanisms, and close coordination at regional and international forums, contributing actively to peace, stability, and development in Asia-Pacific.

Economic and trade cooperation remains a cornerstone and a highlight of the bilateral relationship. Japan is Vietnam’s largest ODA partner, the largest labor cooperation partner, the third-largest investor, and the fourth-largest trading and tourism partner.

In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$46.2 billion. As of March 2025, Japan had 5,557 valid investment projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of over US$78.6 billion. Vietnam has invested in 126 projects in Japan, totaling US$20.6 million.

By the end of fiscal year 2024, Japan had committed approximately 2,550 billion yen (over US$23 billion) in ODA to Vietnam. Symbolic projects include Nhat Tan Bridge, Terminal 2 of Noi Bai International Airport, and Ho Chi Minh City's Metro Line 1.

Cooperation also flourishes in culture, education, healthcare, tourism, local exchanges, and labor. Vietnam was the first country worldwide to introduce Japanese language into elementary and secondary school curricula. Over 51,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Japan, and Japan is helping upgrade four universities and establish the Vietnam-Japan University in Hanoi.

Cultural exchange events, such as the Vietnam Festival in Japan, the Japan Festival in Vietnam, and the Japan Sakura Festival, draw great interest from both peoples. Vietnam leads among 15 countries sending workers to Japan, with about 310,000 Vietnamese workers.

More than 110 cooperation agreements have been signed between Vietnamese and Japanese localities. Notable pairings include Ho Chi Minh City with Osaka and Nagano; Hanoi with Fukuoka and Tokyo; Da Nang with Sakai and Yokohama; Hue with Kyoto; Quang Nam with Nagasaki; Hung Yen with Kanagawa; and Hai Phong with Niigata. The Vietnamese community in Japan now exceeds 600,000 people, making it the second-largest Vietnamese community worldwide.

Building on these strong ties, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru's visit holds special significance. During the visit, the two sides will consolidate  political trust and exchange views on deepening strategic cooperation.

Japan will continue supporting Vietnam in its three strategic breakthroughs in institutional reform, infrastructure development, and human resources training; in promoting industrialization and modernization; and in advancing economic, trade, and investment ties through improving the business environment, strengthening supply chains, and expanding market access.

The two sides aim to soon open the Japanese market to Vietnamese pomelos and the Vietnamese market to Japanese grapes, while exploring possibilities for other agricultural products such as Vietnamese passion fruit and Japanese peaches.

Host and guest will also discuss new cooperation areas in line with current trends, including science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transition, and new energy; as well as disaster prevention, climate change response, environmental protection, and emissions reduction. They will coordinate efforts to tackle regional and global challenges.

The visit is expected to further reinforce the strong bonds of friendship between the two peoples, laying a firm foundation for the comprehensive, sustainable development of Vietnam-Japan relations, making positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

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