Japan strives to preserve late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s legacy
WVR - Ambassador of Japan to Viet Nam Yamada Takio shared his feelings on the occasion of Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's visit to attend late Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's State Funeral.
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| President Nguyen Xuan Phuc wrote his condolences to commemorate late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA) |
The late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was among international leaders who, since the beginning of his tenure, had understood the political and economic importance of Viet Nam. In January 2013, he picked Viet Nam as the destination for his first foreign visit during his second Administration.
In May 2016, Viet Nam received an invitation to attend the extended G7 meeting in Ise-Shima, chaired by the late Prime Minster Abe. It was the first time Viet Nam attended the G7 meeting. For President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (who was Prime Minister at the time), the Vietnamese leader to attend the late Prime Minister Abe’s funeral, it was his first senior multilateral event after his appointment.
Since then, the late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has significantly contributed to the development of Viet Nam-Japan relations through deepening mutual trust and holding frequent dialogues.
At the moment, Japan and Viet Nam has continued to promote stable cooperation and steadfast friendship comprehensively, on the basis of the extensive trategic partnership. Frequent visits by senior leaders have continued to promote the development of bilateral relations.
Since the beginning of the late Prime Minister Abe’s second administration, Japan and Viet Nam has organized annual visits and high-ranking dialogues, until the COVID-19 pandemic broke out globally in February 2020.
Former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide chose to continue this policy, as he picked Viet Nam as the destination for his first foreign visit. Incumbent Prime Minister Kishida Fumio also received his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh as his first senior guest.
| The late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was among international leaders who, since the beginning of his tenure, had understood the political and economic importance of Viet Nam. |
From July 11th to July 12th, the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam opened a book of condolence to commemorate the late Prime Minister Abe. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had visited the Embassy to personally write his condolence and share his mourning for a dear friend of Viet Nam.
More than a 1.000 Vietnamese, including President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other senior leaders had visited the Embassy to commemorate and wrote their condolences. Once again, I would like to appreciate Vietnameses’ special feelings for the late Prime Minister Abe and Japan, and also confirm our dedication to inherit late Prime Minister Abe’s legacy and further promote the bilateral relations.
In 2023, Japan and Viet Nam will celebrate the historic 50th anniversary of official diplomatic relations. I believe that in such period, the presence of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who had established a new era in the Japan - Viet Nam relations with the late Prime Minister Abe, in the State Funeral, will have a symbolic meaning in looking back at the bilateral relations and heading toward further cooperation in the future.
I think that this is also an important time to further elevate Japan – Viet Nam relations to a new height. I would like to express our sincere gratitude, as well as to welcome President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to visit Japan and attend the State Funeral.
There are only three months left before the beginning of 2023, the year that marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Japan and Viet Nam. During Prime Minister Kishida’s visit to Viet Nam in April, senior leaders have affirmed that both sides will closely cooperate to celebrate this historic event matching the significance of the bilateral relations.
Japan-Viet Nam relations with “limitless potentials” are reaching an era of extraordinary developments. I hope that the milestone of 50th anniversary of Japan-Viet Nam diplomatic relations will lay the foundation for the relationship to further move toward the future, reach out the region and the world as equal and mutually beneficial partners.
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| President Nguyen Xuan Phuc ((who was Prime Minister at the time) and Ambassador of Japan to Viet Nam Yamada Takio. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA) |
For me, an important factor that builds the foundation for the development of Japan-Viet Nam relations was “sympathy, understanding between people and people”.
There are many realistic examples on the sympathy, understanding across Japan-Viet Nam relations, regardless of ages or generations, such as the deepened, mutual trust of both senior leaders or the expansion of cuisine or cultural exchange.
More importantly, such kind of examples already appeared in the pre-modern history, before the official establishment of our current diplomatic relations. Among those was the romance of Japanese businessman Araki Sotaro of Nagasaki with Princess Ngoc Hoa of the Nguyen dynasty 400 years ago, in the era of commercial Shuinsen.
Let us consider the 50th year of Japan-Viet Nam bilateral relations as an opportunity for both countries to further re-affirm, re-explore the relationship and turn this year into a stepping stone for the important leap toward the future.
A lot of projects will be held in celebrating the 50th milestone, both in Japan and Viet Nam. I hope that those projects will appreciate the spirit of sympathy, understanding between people and people, where both Japanese and Vietnamese could participate, advance and innovate altogether. I look forward to projects where everyone, regardless of their interests and levels, could all enjoy.
“Japan -Viet Nam moving together toward the future, reaching out to the world”. Such theme should set the tone, so all of us can celebrate the 50th anniversary of Japan-Viet Nam diplomatic relations in the most memorable ways.
(Translated by Minh Quan)
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