Strengthening the foundation of friendship of Japan - Vietnam relations
The visit takes place in the context of Vietnam - Japan relations being in a good development stage, with the latest milestone being the event of the two countries upgrading their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world (November 2023).
During the visit, the delegation held talks with Zenroren Chairman Akiyama Masaomi; met and discussed with representatives of the Japanese Communist Party, Zenroren Financial Union (Kinyu Rouren), Nara Federation of Trade Unions (Naroren), Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association in Nara province, Nara Provincial Industrial Promotion Board; visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, and met with a number of Vietnamese workers living and working in Nara province.
At the meeting with the leaders of the Japanese Communist Party, the President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor affirmed that the Vietnam Trade Union is ready to cooperate with Japanese trade union organizations to develop the relationship between the two countries in a deep, comprehensive and commensurate with the new level of bilateral relations. The leaders of the Japanese Communist Party highly appreciated the visit of Comrade Nguyen Dinh Khang and the high-ranking delegation of the VGCL; expressed their joy at witnessing the development of the friendly and cooperative relationship between the VGCL and Zenroren; and said that the relationship between the Japanese Communist Party and Vietnam has developed well through regular theoretical exchanges between the two parties. The leaders of the Japanese Communist Party informed about a number of policies that the Japanese Communist Party is focusing on for the upcoming general election, including promoting human rights and workers' rights. The leaders of the Japanese Communist Party highly agreed with the proposals of comrade Nguyen Dinh Khang to strengthen the foundation of friendship and bring the Japan-Vietnam cooperative relationship into deeper, more substantial and effective depth.
Strengthening cooperation to protect Vietnamese workers living and working in Japan
Expressing his pleasure to visit Japan in the context of the two countries having just successfully organized solemn activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations and upgrading the relationship to the framework of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, at the talks with President of Zenroren Akiyama Masaomi and in the meetings, Comrade Nguyen Dinh Khang highly appreciated the solidarity, friendship and long-term cooperation between the VGCL and Zenroren over the past 30 years. This relationship has actively contributed to the increasingly strong, comprehensive and substantive development of the relationship between the two countries. The President of the VGCL also informed about the activities of the Vietnam Trade Union since the beginning of the 13th term. These include important results in the work of caring for, representing and protecting workers such as participating in the development of labor laws and policies, effectively performing the role of a member of the National Wage Council, focusing on dialogue and collective bargaining to improve wages and benefits for workers; Results of launching and organizing creative emulation movements among workers.
President Zenroren highly appreciated the important significance of the visit of the high-level delegation of the VGCL, especially in the context of the relationship between the two organizations being disrupted due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Informing about Zenroren's activities, President Zenroren informed about some of the difficulties and challenges of Zenroren in gathering and protecting the rights of workers in the informal sector, the care economy sector, migrant workers, promoting gender equality; shared the viewpoint of opposing the Japanese Government's recent policy of strengthening military power and speaking out against inhumane wars around the world, supporting the resolution of problems by peaceful means.
Regarding the direction of cooperation in the coming time, the two sides agreed to continue to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations through continuing to exchange delegations at high and all levels; promoting cooperation between sectors and localities; sharing effective operating models, coordinating to protect the rights of Vietnamese workers and trainees in Japan; maintaining a regular information consultation mechanism between the two sides and supporting each other in international multilateral forums.
At meetings with leaders of the Finance Union of Zenroren and the Nara Provincial Federation of Trade Unions, comrade Nguyen Dinh Khang proposed to strengthen cooperation to protect Vietnamese workers living and working in Japan, ensuring fair treatment in working conditions and tax obligations in Japan.
The two sides agreed to establish and strengthen cooperation with the Vietnam Banking Trade Union and the Thai Nguyen Provincial Labor Federation; promote information sharing, experience exchange, and resolve difficulties and challenges of workers in the industry and locality due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; protect workers in new areas such as care economy, disabled workers, and youth workers, etc.
During the working trip, the delegation met with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association of Nara province and representatives of Vietnamese workers in Nara province.
