Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on June 30 morning visited Wakayama prefecture, Japan, and attended the Japan – Vietnam lotus festival after concluding his participation in the summit of the G-20 in Osaka.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (second from left), his spouse and Toshihiro Nikai, plant a tree to mark the special event.

Speaking at the event, the Government leader expressed his joy and gratitude to the local administration and people for their warm reception and hosting of the friendship activity.

Vietnam – Japan friendship activities started over 1,000 years ago and have been nurtured over generations, PM Phuc highlighted, stressing that the two countries and peoples enjoy many similarities in cultures and traditions.

Together with the development of the relations between the two countries, the cooperation and exchanges between their localities, including Wakayama prefecture, are developing strongly, especially in tourism, services and agriculture, in a sustainable way, he said

PM Phuc and Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic party of Japan and Chairman of the Japan – Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary’ Alliance, planted a tree to mark the special event.

The same day, the Government leader left Osaka for home to attend the signing ceremony of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EU – Vietnam Investment protection Agreement. After the signing, he will leave Hanoi for Tokyo, starting his visit to Japan at the invitation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.