Minister of Home Affairs Do Thanh Binh sent a congratulatory letter to the event, praising Vietnamese workers for their diligence, creativity, and strong sense of discipline, qualities that have earned the trust of Japanese businesses and society.

On the basis of the sound bilateral relationship, the minister said he is confident that the two countries will continue to expand labour cooperation, creating further opportunities for Vietnamese workers to learn and build skills in advanced workplaces, contributing to the development of a high-quality workforce for Vietnam in its new stage of development.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said that Vietnam Labor Day in Japan was initiated by the Vietnamese Prime Minister and has been held regularly in Japan to recognize and honor the major contributions of the Vietnamese labor community working there.

He noted that the vast majority of Vietnamese workers are hardworking, strictly comply with Japanese laws and regulations, and make positive contributions to Japan’s socio-economic development as well as to Vietnam–Japan friendship and cooperation.

Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu said that more than 450,000 Vietnamese workers are currently living and working in Japan under various residence statuses, including technical interns, specified skilled workers, engineers, and technicians.

According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Vietnamese nationals account for more than 70% of all specified skilled worker No. 2 visa holders in Japan, underscoring their leading position in skills and professional qualifications within the foreign labor community.

The ambassador said the theme of this year’s observance, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” reflects the aspiration for Vietnamese workers to understand and strictly observe Japanese laws and customs, thereby building a responsible and sustainably integrated labor community.

He encouraged workers to continuously improve their Japanese-language proficiency, professional skills, and discipline, while calling on host companies and supervising associations to strengthen guidance and supervision to prevent legal violations.

In his message, Nagasaka Yasumasa, Vice Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, described cooperation on training and recruitment of Vietnamese workers as an area of “tremendous and unlimited potential.”

As of the end of June, Japan had received approximately 200,000 Vietnamese technical interns and about 150,000 Vietnamese specified skilled workers, making Vietnam the largest sending country. Many workers, after returning home, have effectively applied the knowledge and skills accumulated in Japan.

Vice Minister Nagasaka noted that the Employment Training for Skill Development Act has been enacted, under which the new Skill Development Employment Program will replace the current Technical Intern Training Program from April 1, 2027. The reform aims to better protect workers’ rights while meeting Japan’s long-term workforce needs. The Japanese government is also working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to build an online job-matching platform for foreign workers, providing an additional transparent recruitment channel for Vietnamese laborers.

Japanese Vice Minister of Justice Mitani Hidehiro also sent a congratulatory letter, affirming that Vietnam is one of Japan’s most important partners, especially after the two countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

As of the end of June 2025, around 660,000 Vietnamese were living, studying, and working in Japan, including some 200,000 technical interns and 150,000 specified skilled workers, the largest number among all foreign nationalities.

He added that over the five years starting in 2024, Japan plans to accept 820,000 foreign workers under the specified skilled worker program across 16 sectors. As of mid-2025, however, only about 340,000 had been received, indicating that demand for foreign labor, including workers from Vietnam, is set to continue rising.

During the event, Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu presented certificates of merit to 26 exemplary workers and interns, 17 host companies, and six associations.

Vietnam Labor Day in Japan 2025 served both as an occasion to honor outstanding members of the labor community and as a forum for policy exchange, business-worker connections, and reflection on the increasingly substantive workforce cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

At a time when Japan continues to face labor shortages while Vietnam possesses a young and dynamic workforce, labor cooperation is expected to remain a key pillar underpinning the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

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