Ho Chi Minh City, Japan’s Yamaguchi ink MoU to deepen cooperation

The MoU was inked at a meeting between Vo Van Minh, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council, and Yanai Shungaku, chairman of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly, on Thursday afternoon.

Municipal officials described the visit as the first official exchange of the year and a catalyst for deeper bilateral engagement.

Minh said the visit came just three months after his working trip to Yamaguchi in late November 2025, underscoring growing momentum in bilateral ties.

He said the MoU not only translates earlier agreements into concrete action but also marks a more structured phase of cooperation between the two elected bodies.

He stressed that the new cooperation mechanism would strengthen political trust, promote experience sharing in policy development and governance, and ensure continuity in joint programs between the two sides.

Japan remains one of Vietnam’s most important partners, Minh said, adding that Ho Chi Minh City highly values ties with Yamaguchi, building on the long-standing friendship between the prefecture and the former Binh Duong Province.

Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau Provinces were amalgamated into Ho Chi Minh City under a national administrative restructuring that took effect on July 1, 2025.

As Ho Chi Minh City reorganizes its administrative structure and governance model following the merger, now covering more than 6,700 square kilometers and home to over 14 million people, Minh called for closer collaboration on sustainable development and urban management.

He suggested sharing experience in budget oversight, public investment management, environmentally sustainable industrial development, and efforts to improve the business policy environment.

The two sides could also step up training for elected representatives and expand people-to-people exchanges, particularly among younger generations, to reinforce the long-term foundation of bilateral ties, Minh added.

Shungaku extended Lunar New Year greetings to the city’s leaders and residents and congratulated Ho Chi Minh City on its new administrative structure.

He noted that Yamaguchi governor Muraoka Tsugumasa had been re-elected but he was unable to join the delegation for the current visit due to prior commitments.

He also recalled that during Minh’s visit to Yamaguchi in November 2025, the two sides had signed a record of discussions outlining steps to promote friendly cooperation.

Shungaku said the newly signed MoU would further strengthen cooperation between the two sides and highlighted that the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly has established a parliamentary alliance to promote Vietnam–Japan friendship, providing a platform for expanded exchanges in the years ahead.

Minh congratulated Tsugumasa on his re-election and expressed confidence that under the leadership of the assembly chairman and the governor, ties between Ho Chi Minh City and Yamaguchi would continue to deepen, contributing to the broader Vietnam–Japan partnership.