A five-member delegation from various agencies focusing on people-to-people diplomacy, led by Nguyen Ngoc Ky, Chairman of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, successfully concluded its visit to Japan from November 24 to 30.

HAUFO Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Ky and leaders of Tottori City leaders. Source: HAUFO

During its visit, the delegation held meetings with the leadership of Tottori Johoku Japanese Language School and the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in Tottori City. Aburano Yoshihiko, the school's principal and Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in Tottori City, welcomed the delegation and introduced the school's history and achievements.

Delegation leader Nguyen Ngoc Ky expressed his pleasure in visiting the school, which provides Japanese language education to international students, including the first cohort of 17 Vietnamese students. These students not only engage in academic learning but also participate in numerous extracurricular activities to deepen their understanding of Japanese culture. They are expected to serve as cultural ambassadors, promoting Vietnamese culture among Japanese friends and fostering mutual understanding between the two peoples.

According to Ky, in recent years, the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations and the Hanoi Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association have actively acted as bridges for Vietnam-Japan friendship, organizing cultural, educational, and sports exchange events that attract significant participation.

He said that the development of the Tottori Johoku Japanese Language School and the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in Tottori City has strengthened Vietnam-Japan relations.

The delegation also visited two Japanese companies. Ky expressed his enthusiasm for potential collaboration in fields such as computer software development, surveying, measurement, and quality management at ICON YAMATO and precision mold manufacturing for heavy industries at SASAYAMA. The delegation greatly admired the business success and operations of both companies.

The HAUFO Chairman at the Tottori Johoku Japanese Language School.

Another highlight of the trip was a meeting with the Mayor of Tottori City, the Chairman of the Tottori City International Economic Development Council, and members of the council. During the discussions, both sides exchanged updates on the development of Hanoi and Tottori City and explored strengths and opportunities for cooperation in economic, tourism, cultural, and educational fields, as outlined in the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the Hanoi Union and the Tottori City International Economic Development Council.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity between Vietnam and Japan, Ky expressed the hope that the memorandum would be updated with additional content to elevate cooperation to a new level after reporting to the Hanoi authorities.

Fukazawa Yoshihiko, Mayor of Tottori City and Chairman of the council welcomed the Hanoi delegation and expressed his willingness to discuss the proposed collaboration areas.

In Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture, the Japan-Vietnam Chukyo Friendship Association hosted the delegation for a tour of Nagoya Castle, renowned for its cherry blossoms, to learn about this culturally significant tree.

Due to unforeseen weather conditions in South Korea, the delegation was unable to carry out its planned activities there. On November 29, the delegation concluded its visit to Japan, contributing to the strengthening of Vietnam-Japan friendship and promoting Hanoi's people-to-people diplomacy efforts.