Vietnam, Japan pledge to strengthen security cooperation: Vietnamese delegates at Japan’s National Police Agency. (Photo: VNA)

On April 3, in Tokyo, during a meeting with Deputy Secretary General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Fumiaki Kobayashi, Minister Lam said this year marks the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties and the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations.

The Ministry will also maintain security dialogue mechanisms and effectively implement signed agreements, he said.

Deputy Secretary General Kobayashi expressed his delight at achievements made by Vietnam in various areas, including in fighting crimes.

The Vietnamese Minister and former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga shared their view that the Vietnam-Japan ties are at the best in the past five decades in various areas.

Minister Lam suggested former Japanese Prime Minister Suga continue backing and making valuable contributions to promoting bilateral ties, focusing on agreements on national defence-security, economy, supply of new-generation official development assistance, diversification of supply chains and developing support industry.

He wished that the former Japanese leader would continue stepping up ties between the two countries and their legal enforcement agencies, create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese people to enter Japan, as well as ensure security, safety, legitimate rights and interests of nearly 500,000 Vietnamese living, studying and working in Japan.

In the afternoon the same day, Minister Lam held talks with Commissioner General of Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) Yasuhiro Tsuyuki, during which, they pledged to facilitate the exchange of all-level delegations, maintain the annual security dialogue at the Deputy Ministerial level, share information and experience in fighting trans-national, criminal, cyber and drug crimes, and consider a new practical cooperation mechanism between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the NPA.

Both sides will well perform citizen protection, offer all possible support to enterprises and citizens in each nation, protect mutual visits and events, firstly celebrations for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.

Receiving Executive Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yunichi Yamada, Lam asked the Japanese official to continue carrying forward Vietnam-Japan ties, with a focus on agreements reached by the two Prime Ministers.

He also sought JICA’s support for his ministry to launch several projects on workforce training, supply of firefighting equipment, search and rescue, forest fire prevention and control, environment protection, and training courses on cyber security, crime investigation, counter-terrorism, criminal justice and traffic safety.

In reply, Executive Senior Vice President Yamada promised to work closely with the Vietnamese ministry to embark on cooperation areas of the latter’s interest.

The same day, Minister Lam also hosted a reception for several Japanese corporate executives.