Diplomats optimistic about Vietnam-Japan ties in Year of the Tiger

Moriyuki Taniguchi and Prof. Dr. Nagato Natsume, who are Honorary Consuls of Vietnam in Mie and Nagoya cities, respectively, are optimistic about the Vietnam-Japan ties in 2022.

Moriyuki Taniguchi, Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Mie

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of Vietnam's traditional Lunar New Year, Moriyuki Taniguchi underlined that Vietnam is currently one of the most important partners of Japan, and the ties between the two countries are growing in all fields.

It could be seen through the Vietnam visit by the then Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in 2020 and a visit to Japan by Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh in 2021 that the Vietnam-Japan relationship is at the best ever, he stressed.

Born in 1949 in Mie, Taniguchi established the Japan-Vietnam association for friendship economic exchanges in 2011, acting as its president. He has been the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Mie since last November.

Noting that Vietnam and Japan provide assistance to each other in hard time due to COVID-19 in each country, he held that the mutual support reflected a strong ties between the two countries. He pledged to work hard to make further contributions to the sound bilateral relations.

He said that due to COVID-19, there are only few events to celebrate the traditional New Year of Vietnam. “However, in some way, we will strive to ensure the Vietnamese community in Mie Prefecture enjoy a warm festival,” he said.

The diplomat also wished all Vietnamese in Japan and at home a New Year of good health and success.

For his part, Prof. Dr. Nagato Natsume said that for Japan, Vietnam is an important partner. For himself, Vietnam is his second homeland. “I hope that Vietnam and Japan will work together for common development in both countries.”

According to him, in order to further promote bilateral partnership in economic and trade, Vietnam and Japan should show deeper mutual understanding and more joint efforts.

As the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Nagoya, he vowed to continue to work to eliminate barriers between the two countries, increase people-to-people exchange and promote collaboration in many areas, including trade.

The professor is Director of the Japanese Cleft Palate Foundation. The 65-year-old doctor has worked tirelessly to support Vietnamese children with cleft palate to receive life-changing surgeries since 1990 and transfer technologies in this field to Vietnamese doctors.

He has been acting as Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Nagoya for the second term since last November. He contributed to establishing Aichi-Vietnam Friendship Association in April 2018./.

VNA