Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Japan's Ambassador to Viet Nam Yamada Takio in Ha Noi on August 13, 2021. (Source: VNA)

Could you please share with us the significance and main focuses of the first visit by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to Viet Nam?

Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has regularly visited Viet Nam as Minister of Foreign Affairs and as a member of the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance. This is the first visit of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to Viet Nam since assuming the position of Japanese Prime Minister.

In particular, Prime Minister Kishida will meet his friend - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, less than six months after Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Japan last November.

The reason for the reciprocal visits in a short time is because both leaders are key members of the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance and have built a mutual trust and deep relationship.

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have achieved solid achievements in many fields in less than half a year since Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan.

During Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Viet Nam, I hope that he will exchange ideas with the leaders of Viet Nam, especially with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, through which the relationship between the two countries will develop stronger.

The relationship between Viet Nam and Japan is considered to be at the best stage of development. How do you assess the potential of cooperation between the two sides at the bilateral and multilateral levels in the coming time?

During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan last November, the two Prime Ministers affirmed that the Japan-Viet Nam relationship has limitless potentials, not only in bilateral relations but also in strategic relations in the region and the world.

A joint statement entitled "Toward the opening of a new era in the bilateral extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" and a list of specific cooperation projects of the two countries were also issued.

Since Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan, the scope of bilateral cooperation has been expanded from economic relations to cooperation on politics and security as well as on regional and international issues. The two countries have made significant progress in each field.

I think that Japan-Viet Nam relationship has made solid steps towards "opening a new stage" and will continue to develop further in the future.

Japan's Ambassador to Viet Nam Yamada Takio. (Photo: Japan's Embassy in Ha Noi)

It is said that the COVID-19 can not prevent Japanese businesses and investors from choosing Viet Nam as their best investment destination. What is your opinion?

In the context that investment activities around the world are limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese businesses are still very interested and eager to invest in Viet Nam.

The Viet Nam-Japan Investment Promotion Conference under the title “Viet Nam-Japan: Strengthen relationship and cooperation for development”, which was held during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan last November, attracted the participation of 1,000 people both in-person and online.

On this occasion, 45 memoranda of understanding (MOU) with a total value of up to 12 billion USD were signed. I think that even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ever-growing demand for investment of Japanese businesses in Viet Nam, a country that is attracting attention due to the trend of diversifying the global supply chain, has been confirmed once again.

The reasons for this fact can be attributed to the potential growth, political stability, excellent human resources and the cultural attachment between the two countries.

Viet Nam is moving towards a green economy and green growth. How do you evaluate this strategy? And how can Japan support Viet Nam in this effort?

I appreciate Viet Nam's strategies towards green growth and decarbonisation. At the 26th United Nations climate change conference (COP26) last year, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a commitment to turning Viet Nam into a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. Therefore, Viet Nam needs to continue to outline ideas to realize a carbon-free society.

Facing that trend, during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Japan last November, Japanese Environment Minister Yamaguchi Tsuyoshi and Vietnamese Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha signed the "Joint Action Plan on Climate Change towards the goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050”.

Japan will promote comprehensive cooperation covering policy, technology and finance. A typical example of this cooperation is a power generation project with energy recovered from incineration implemented by T&J Green Energy in Bac Ninh province.

The ground-breaking ceremony and investment signing ceremony for this project were held last December. Under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) between the two countries, the Japanese Government will provide financial support with equipments applying Japanese technology, continue to contribute to the circular economy, zero carbon in Viet Nam. Up to now, in Viet Nam, 40 JCM projects have been approved and Japan will continue to promote cooperations in this form in the coming time.