Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh reviewed the Dong Du movement which encouraged hundreds of Vietnamese students to study in Japan in the hope that they could help reform the country after their return.

These pioneers met with a lot of difficulties in Japan, however, they got whole-hearted assistance from Asaba Sakitaro, a medical doctor as well as people in Fukuroi, the ambassador remembered.

Although the Dong Du movement failed and those students had to go home, what doctor Asaba and Fukuroi residents had done for Chau and his followers remain forever in the Vietnamese people’s hearts, said Binh.

“Over more than 100 years, there have many changes in Vietnam and Japan. The two countries have become each other’s strategic partner and their relationship has never been as good as it is now,” the diplomat said.

He expressed his gratitude to Fukuroi residents for caring for doctor Asaba’s tomb and the stele in memory of doctor Asaba that Phan Boi Chau had erected in the compound of Jorin Umeyama pagoda during his visit to Japan in 1918.

Fukuroi Mayor Hideyuki Harada affirmed that by organising this event, his city wants to boost its ties with Vietnam and said he hoped the Japan-Vietnam ties will continue to develop in the coming time.

During the event, the participants heard Professor Shiraishi Masaya from the Waseda University (Tokyo) presenting his research on history of the Dong Du movement and its supporters in the early 20^th century.