Vietnamese Party chief, State President To Lam hosts Japanese prime minister

The Japanese premier arrived in Hanoi on Friday evening for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, marking her first trip to the Southeast Asian country since taking office last October.

On behalf of the Party, state, and people of Vietnam, the host leader welcomed PM Takaichi and the high-level Japanese delegation, noting that the visit comes at a significant moment as both countries have established new leadership teams and are advancing their respective socio-economic development agendas.

The Vietnamese leader expressed satisfaction with the robust progress in bilateral relations following more than two years since the elevation of their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

He highlighted the breadth and depth of cooperation, evidenced by strong political trust, effective coordination mechanisms, and regular dialogue across economic, diplomatic, security, and defense channels.

Cooperation has expanded beyond traditional areas to include digital transformation, green transition, science and technology, and innovation.

PM Takaichi said she was pleased to revisit Vietnam for the first time as prime minister and to meet the top Vietnamese leader again following their phone talks in mid-April.

She congratulated him on being re-elected as Party chief and on his election as state president, extending her congratulations to Vietnam on its new leadership.

She expressed appreciation for the warm and respectful reception extended by the Vietnamese Party, state, and people, affirming Japan’s support for Vietnam’s reform efforts and economic self-reliance.

She voiced confidence in Vietnam’s continued achievements in the coming years.

Emphasizing the strong development of bilateral ties, she reiterated Japan’s desire to work closely with Vietnam in advancing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.

Japan will continue to accompany and support Vietnam in achieving its development goals, contributing to regional prosperity and elevating the comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights, she stressed.

Party chief and State President Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization, as well as its ‘Four No’s’ defense policy.

He underscored that Japan remains one of Vietnam’s most important, reliable, and long-term strategic partners.

He outlined six major directions to foster bilateral strategic cooperation, including enhancing political trust and coordination across Party, government, and local channels; consolidating substantive and effective national defense-security ties; strengthening economic linkages to ensure economic, food, and energy security, while expanding into such new areas as digital transformation, energy transition, green transition, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI), which match Japan’s strengths in sci-tech.

The host also urged advancing sci-tech collaboration through quality workforce training and joint research, as well as joint work in labor, education, local partnerships, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

The guest reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to continuing all possible support for the nearly 700,000 Vietnamese citizens living, studying, and working in Japan, as part of its efforts to build an orderly and harmonious society that coexists with foreign residents.

She agreed that both sides need to strengthen consular exchanges, including information sharing and coordination on consular matters, and mutual support in crime prevention as well.

The two leaders pledged to work closely together at global and regional forums such as the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Mekong sub-regional frameworks amid a rapidly evolving global landscape that is impacting economic and energy security.

They were committed to contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and beyond.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese leader extended an invitation to the Japanese Emperor and Empress to visit Vietnam in the near future.

PM Takaichi, in turn, invited Party chief and State President Lam and his spouse to visit Japan at the earliest time.