Vietnam has always regarded Japan as its most important partner and will do its best to continue to develop the crucial partnership between the two countries.

 

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced this at a meeting with Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in Tokyo on November 2.

 

 

PM Dung said he is very happy to revisit Japan and meet the Japanese Emperor and Empress in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual trust and understanding based on the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership which is continuing to grow.

 

Vietnam praises and thanks the Japanese Emperor and Empress for their good sentiments towards the country as well as for helping to strengthen the friendship between the two countries. The Vietnamese Government and people are ready to share solidarity with the Japanese Government and people over the extraordinary losses caused by catastrophic earthquake and tsunami of March 11. Vietnam is committed to doing anything within its capacity to support Japan in dealing with the consequences of the natural disasters and reconstructing the country, Mr Dung said.

 

Regarding the outcome of talks with PM Yoshihiko Noda and meetings with Japanese officials, PM Dung said both sides agreed upon specific measures to further enhance the strategic partnership and to coordinate practical activities for the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2013- the Year of Vietnam-Japan Friendship.

 

Emperor Akihito spoke highly of PM Dung’s visit as a new impetus for promoting cooperative relations between Japan and Vietnam. The Emperor also said he hopes the two countries will continue their close cooperation in the sprit of friendship and mutual trust to make the Japan-Vietnam strategic partnership more substantial and effective, which would benefit the people of both countries.

 

Emperor Akihito thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for supporting Japanese people who suffered great losses due to the tragic earthquake and tsunami. This support is a vivid testimony to the close-knit relationship between the two countries, Mr Akihito said.

 

The same day of the meeting, PM Dung received the President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ,Sadakazu Tanigaki, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Takeshi Maeda, and leaders of Japan’s major banking, steel and chemical groups.

 

In the late afternoon, PM Dung, his wife, and entourage left Tokyo for Hanoi, concluding their official visit to Japan.

 

VOV