Former Deputy FM, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong awarded Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun
WVR - On behalf of the Japanese government, Ambassador Ito Naoki presented the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, to former Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong.
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| Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki presents the decision of the Japanese Government to award the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, to former Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
On October 3, at the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki, on behalf of the Japanese Government, awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, to former Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong.
Attending the ceremony from the Vietnamese side were Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu; former leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and diplomats who have worked in Japan.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Ambassador Ito Naoki expressed his deep appreciation for the contributions of former Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong in various capacities, especially during his tenure as Ambassador of Vietnam to Japan (2015–2018). He highlighted Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong’s significant role in strengthening bilateral relations and fostering high-level exchanges between the two countries.
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| On behalf of the Japanese government, Ambassador Ito Naoki presents the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, to former Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Ambassador Ito Naoki recalled significant milestones during Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong's tenure as Vietnam's Ambassador to Japan, notably his contributions to the successful visit to Vietnam in 2017 by the then Emperor and Empress of Japan, now the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, marking their final overseas visit during their reign.
Additionally, Ambassador Ito Naoki highlighted Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong's efforts in meticulously preparing and playing a crucial role in adjusting the content of the Joint Statement between the two countries' top leaders during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to Japan in 2015. This Joint Statement laid a solid foundation for the future development of bilateral relations.
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| Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong speaks at the ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Ambassador Ito Naoki also emphasized the close relationship between Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong; the vibrant activities of Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong and his spouse across various provinces and cities in Japan, promoting local exchanges. Ambassador Ito Naoki noted that the Vietnam Festival in Kanagawa Province was first held during Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong's tenure and has since been organized nine times, attracting approximately 2.4 million visitors.
Moved by the solemn, warm, and cozy ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Japanese Government for awarding the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, a prestigious honour from Japan. The Ambassador emphasized that the recognition by the Japanese government is not only for him personally but also acknowledges the contributions of the entire Embassy staff from various ministries and sectors throughout his tenure.
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| Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu presents flowers to congratulate Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong and his spouse. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
The diplomat reminisced about his years working in Japan with many cherished memories and wonderful impressions of the culture, lifestyle, and friendliness of the people in the Land of the Rising Sun.
On this occasion, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong extended his sincere thanks to his superiors, predecessors, friends, and colleagues who have guided, supported, and shared with him throughout his diplomatic career, including his years as Vietnam's Ambassador to Japan. He especially expressed deep gratitude to his life partner and companion, his spouse Hoang Thi Minh Ha.
Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong expressed his delight at the development of Vietnam-Japan relations in various fields; he is confident that on a new level, the Vietnam-Japan relationship will continue to grow even stronger in the future. The Ambassador affirmed his willingness to continue contributing to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and peoples of Vietnam and Japan.
Some images of Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong during his tenure as Vietnam's Ambassador to Japan:
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| Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong and his spouse welcome Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko during their visit to Vietnam in 2017. (Photo courtesy of the Ambassador) |
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| Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong at an event promoting Vietnamese products in Japan. (Photo courtesy of the Ambassador) |
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| Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong (center) during a mango promotion event at Aeon supermarket in Japan in 2015. |
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| Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong and his spouse at the Vietnam National Day celebration in Japan in 2017. |
