Meeting with the Japanese guest in Hanoi, the Party chief hailed Sugi Ryotaro as a close friend of Vietnam, praising his efforts in pioneering Japanese language teaching in the country, promoting cultural cooperation through large-scale art exchange programmes, and advocating for better policies for foreign interns and workers, including those from Vietnam. He also acknowledged Ryotaro’s active role in capacity-building initiatives across various Vietnamese ministries and sectors.

Sharing his continued commitment to Vietnam, Sugi Ryotaro outlined recent projects, including upgrading school infrastructure and supporting hepatitis screening and prevention in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai.

Looking ahead, he proposed new initiatives such as establishing an orchestra for visually impaired people in Vietnam, facilitating exchanges on Japan’s tourism promotion strategies to attract more Japanese visitors, and boosting the branding of Vietnamese specialty products, particularly tea, in Japan.

The Party chief expressed his appreciation for Ryotaro’s humanitarian aid efforts, particularly his fundraising of nearly US$20 million for disaster relief and his adoption of over 200 disadvantaged Vietnamese children.

He called on the former ambassador to further support Vietnam by expanding healthcare and education activities in remote areas, enhancing Vietnam’s global image through Japanese media, maintaining cultural exchange programmes, and strengthening support for the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Vietnam, Japan collaborate to drive energy transition

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception in Hanoi on December 4 for Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Maeda Tadashi.