Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru arrives in Hanoi for first visit to Vietnam

Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, along with other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, were present at Noi Bai Airport to welcome Prime Minister Ishiba and his spouse.

This is the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to Vietnam since the two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in November 2023.

According to a prior announcement by Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PM Ishiba's official visit to Vietnam lasts from Sunday to Tuesday.

Vietnam is the first and main destination during PM Ishiba's tour of two Southeast Asian countries from Sunday to Wednesday. Following his visit to Vietnam, he will travel to the Philippines.

In an article sent exclusively to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper ahead of his arrival, PM Ishiba stated, "For me personally, this is a visit to Vietnam after quite some time, so my spouse and I are very much looking forward to witnessing Vietnam's strong development first-hand."

He affirmed that in pursuit of high economic growth, Japan would continue to accompany Vietnam as an 'irreplaceable partner' in enhancing and promoting their investment environment and economic cooperation.

In addition, Japan will strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in key industries that support digital transformation, including the semiconductor industry, and promote collaboration toward the goal of reducing carbon emissions in Asia through the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC).

According to Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki, Vietnam is a top priority in Japan's foreign policy, evidenced by the significant amount of time Ishiba will spend in Vietnam during this trip.

The visit is expected not only to further solidify the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries but also to establish a personal relationship between Ishiba and Vietnamese leaders.

In his capacity as head of the Japanese government, PM Ishiba has previously met with State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, but he has yet to meet Party General Secretary To Lam.

Therefore, according to Ambassador Ito, this visit will provide an opportunity for the Japanese leader to build and strengthen ties with Party General Secretary To Lam and other senior Vietnamese leaders.