Japanese PM arrives in Hanoi, beginning official visit to Vietnam

By VNA, VnExpress April 27, 2025 | 01:45 am PT

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his spouse arrive at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, April 27, 2025. Photo by VNA

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his wife, along with a high-ranking delegation of Japan, arrived in Hanoi on Sunday afternoon, beginning a three-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife.

The Japanese PM was welcomed at Noi Bai international airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu.

PM Ishiba’s official visit to Vietnam aims to further expand relations with the Southeast Asian nation, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki told the press on the threshold of the visit.

Expanding relations with Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, is also one of Japan's top diplomatic priorities, the ambassador said, adding that Shigeru’s visit is hoped to further strengthen personal trust with Vietnamese leaders and reaffirm Japan’s commitment to fostering bilateral cooperation in key areas such as security - defense, economy, and responses to regional and global challenges.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu, during this visit, leaders of both countries will focus on strategic cooperation areas, with Japan continuing its support for Vietnam to carry out three strategic breakthroughs on institution, infrastructure, and human resources.

Economic, trade, and investment cooperation remains the most important pillar in the bilateral relations.

Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1973 and upgraded their partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023.

Japan is Vietnam's largest ODA donor, a key labor cooperation partner, the third-largest investor, and the fourth-largest partner in tourism and trade. In 2024, trade turnover between Vietnam and Japan reached $46.2 billion, a 2.7% increase compared to 2023.

As of Jan. 31, Japan had 5,512 valid projects in Vietnam, with a total registered investment of $78.3 billion, while Vietnam has 124 investment projects in Japan, with a total registered capital of $20.4 million.

Japan's total ODA loans to Vietnam reached approximately 2,550 billion yen ($23 billion) by the end of fiscal year 2024.

At a press conference in Hanoi on April 23, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki stated that around 630,000 Vietnamese people are currently living, working, and studying in Japan. This makes them the largest foreign group in Japan, accounting for approximately 25% of the more than 2.3 million foreign workers in the country.