The silver-and-blue metro trains gliding through HCMC’s skyline early this year are more than a practical solution for the city’s 10 million residents. They symbolize the enduring partnership between Vietnam and Japan. They reflect decades of mutual trust, shared values, and a commitment to advancing progress and prosperity. In an exclusive interview with The Saigon Times, Ono Masuo, consul general of Japan in HCMC, discusses the significance of this project and the broader Vietnam-Japan relations.