Tokyo (VNA) – The Vietnam visit by the JapaneseEmperor and Queen in 2017 and the upcoming Japan visit by President Tran DaiQuang and his spouse as national guests is the symbol of the closest friendshipbetween the two countries, said Deputy Director General of the Japanese ForeignMinistry’s Bureau of Asian and Oceanian Affairs Fumio Shimizu.

During an interview recently granted to Vietnam News Agencyon the occasion of the President’s visit to Japan from May 29 – June 2, Shimizuexpressed his delight at the development of Vietnam – Japan ties, evidenced byexchange activities in diverse areas via the legislature, business communityand people-to-people channel.

Since the resumption of official development assistance(ODA) provision for Vietnam in 1992, Japan has always been the largestsupporter of Vietnam’s economic growth, with focus on infrastructure such as roads,ports and electricity, thereby improving the country’s business climate.

Over 1,700 Japanese enterprises are operating in Vietnam,the largest in Southeast Asia.

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges have alsoprogressed. Tourist arrivals in the two countries surpassed 1 million lastyear. More than 260,000 Vietnamese people are living and working in Japan,around 700 of them are candidates for the nurse training programme under the EconomicPartnership Agreement.

Shimuzu said the two economies are mutually beneficial withincreasingly strengthened friendship and trust between the two peoples.

As a gateway of the region, Vietnam is an important partnerof Japan on the basis of shared strategic interests. Under Japan’s Free andOpen Indo-Pacific Strategy, Southeast Asia links the Pacific and Indian Oceans,and the strengthening of the regional connectivity is key to Vietnam’ssustainable development.

Japan wants to cooperate with Vietnam in improvingindustrial competitiveness, human resources training, administrative reform to fuelVietnam’s development, he said.

In order to boost Vietnam – Japan strategic partnership,bilateral collaboration in regional and global issues play an important role,he said, adding that the two nations have worked closely together on theTrans-Pacific Partnership. From this August, Vietnam will serve as acoordinator within the ASEAN framework, together with Japan.

As rotating Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Vietnam willincreasingly improve its position on the international arena. On the basis offurther strengthening trust between Vietnam and Japan, bilateral ties inregional and global issues will produce better results in the near future, hesaid.

As coastal countries, Vietnam and Japan share interestsbrought about by sea, he said, adding that efforts to maintain an open and freemaritime order in line with the law will play a significant role in the nearfuture.

Shimizu said that the visit will reaffirm the development ofcultural exchange and bilateral cooperation over the past 45 years, affordingboth sides a chance to discuss their ties amidst complicated developments inthe region, towards an open and free world order and strengthening bilateraltrust.-VNA