President Vo Van Thuong delivers a speech at the National Diet of Japan. (Photo: VNA)The view was shared by former Japanese Ambassador toVietnam Umeda Kunio and member of the Japanese House of Representatives YoichiroAoyagi in interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasionof the official visit to the East Asian nation by President Vo Van Thuong fromNovember 27-30.
Umeda suggested the two countries consolidate whatthey are doing, elaborating that Japan needs to increase its attractiveness toVietnam.
There are many Vietnamese restaurants in Japan, andthe number of TV programmes in the Vietnamese language is on the rise, he said,noting Japanese people have better understanding about the Southeast Asiannation, which is the key to promoting the bilateral ties.
The former ambassador highlighted the role of the people-to-people exchange in enhancing the relationship, as well as thesimilarities shared by the two countries in culture and religion, and suggestedthem jointly hold festivals to foster the links between their residents andmutual understanding.
Vietnam and Japan can strengthen collaboration inall fields, including politics, security, economy, culture and sports, he said.
Yoichiro also held that the people-to-people exchangehas contributed to forging the bilateral ties over the past half century and itwill maintain the role in the upcoming 50 years.
Culture is another factor that helps strengthen the bilateralties, and the Japanese side hopes to maintain the Vietnam Festival at YoyogiPark in the time ahead, said Yoichiro, who co-chairs of the festival'sExecutive Committee./.
VNA
