Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh leaves Hanoi for Japan to attend the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. (Photo: VNA)

The trip, taking place from December 15-18, is made at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Over the past five decades, the relations between ASEAN and Japan have developed comprehensively across politics, security, economy, trade, investment, culture, society and development cooperation.

Particularly, economic and investment cooperation between the two sides has been carried out through various mechanisms and frameworks, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP).

Last year, Japan was the fourth largest trade partner of ASEAN with two-way trade value of 268.5 billion USD. Meanwhile, it was ASEAN’s fourth largest source of foreign direct investment with inflows amounting to 26.7 billion USD.

Amidst unprecedented headwinds across the globe, both sides, based on their sound relations, want to bolster cooperation and connectivity in response to the common challenges for development.

The Commemorative Summit is organised right after ASEAN and Japan set up their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, giving an opportunity for leaders of both sides to review their cooperation outcomes, and define orientations to develop the ties in the new stage, making it on par with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.

Vietnam is a proactive and responsible member in the ASEAN bloc, and in promoting the ASEAN-Japan relations, with one of the most outstanding contributions being its successful performance as the coordinator of the ASEAN-Japan relations during the 2018-2021 period.

The Vietnam-Japan relations have enjoyed strong and comprehensive development in all areas, with strong political trust and enhanced exchanges of delegations at all levels.

The two nations mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023. During President Vo Van Thuong’s visit to Japan in November, the nations upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world.