Japan’s senior law maker vows to boost ties with Viet Nam

The Japanese law-maker also stressed that the Vietnamese President will be Japan's “National Guest” in an exclusive interview with Viet Nam News Agency (VNA) on the threshold of President Triet’s five-day visit scheduled to begin on November 25.

The interview runs as follow:

Q: Would you please give an overview of the role played by the Alliance and the Japanese Diet in boosting relations between Viet Nam and Japan?

A: The alliance was founded in late 1970 and so far has a 142-strong members, who come from various political parties. It is the largest ever friendship alliance. We are proud to say that we have managed to send at least one delegation to Viet Nam every year to exchange views with politicians and officials of relevant agencies in an effort to boost relations between Viet Nam and Japan. We also welcomed Vietnamese delegations.

The organization’s contributions to relations between the two countries included its lobby among the Ministry of Transport and Communication to open commercial flights between Narita and Noi Bai (Viet Nam ).

The alliance has also campaigned for the Government’s ODA grant and technical assistance in setting up a research system for bird flu control in Viet Nam. We are very happy that our efforts have resulted in the establishment of four laboratories for high-risk virus tests.

Q: The Japan-Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance has set up a taskforce on three major infrastructure projects in Viet Nam. What progress has been made by the taskforce in speeding up the projects?

A: In October, 2006, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung paid an official visit to Japan, during which he reached a consensus with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to gear bilateral relations to strategic partnership. It is good news for the bilateral relationship. The two prime ministers also agreed on the cooperation in three key projects, namely the Lang-Hoa Lac hi-tech park, the North-South express highway, and the North-South express railway. The alliance has decided to set up a research team on the three projects. As soon as the team was set up in April, 2007, its members held the first meeting in June, drawing Governmental officials and business circles. The second meeting is slated to take place in November prior to President Triet’s coming visit.

Q: What is your viewpoint about the upcoming visit by President Nguyen Minh Triet as well as the establishment of the Viet Nam-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, of which Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation Ho Duc Viet was elected as Chair?

A: President Triet’s visit will be the first ever made by a top Vietnamese leader and also the first “national guest”. It is clear evidence that Japan attaches importance to relations with Viet Nam and vice versa. The appointment of Ho Duc Viet, a senior Party official, to chair the Viet Nam-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Alliance is another of Viet Nam’s gesture to respect relations with Japan.

As the two countries are preparing celebrations of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, the Japan-Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance is supporting an initiative raised by Goodwill Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro for a grand music gala in Viet Nam. Senator Matsuda Iwao has also worked out a plan to hold a big Vietnamese festival in Tokyo.

We expect that the upcoming visit by President Triet will bring in an agreement on celebrations of the 35 th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.