On the evening of December 10, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki presided over the 2-year ceremony to upgrade Vietnam - Japan relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world (November 27, 2023 - November 27, 2025), with the participation of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van and many guests.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Ito Naoki said that, looking back at the cooperation journey over the past year, one of his deep impressions was Vietnam National Day at the 2025 Expo Osaka - Kansai World Exhibition. Vietnam and Japan also organized the 2+2 Deputy Minister-level Foreign Affairs and Defense Dialogue for the first time, marking a new step in development, demonstrating the maturity of the bilateral relationship.
Local exchanges between the two countries continued to be vibrant, notably the "Meeting Japan" event with about 300 Japanese enterprises in Can Tho in August and the Vietnam - Japan Local Cooperation Forum in Quang Ninh in November. Vietnam is currently the only country in Japan to apply such a local cooperation mechanism.
The Ambassador affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is developing strongly in all fields and expressed his hope for greater results in 2026.
At the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van emphasized that although 2 years is not a long time in the history of Vietnam - Japan relations, with determination and close cooperation, the bilateral relationship has achieved many new points.
Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van quoted Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Vietnam - Japan Local Cooperation Forum at the end of November as saying that bilateral relations have had 5 new points: Many new cooperation mechanisms; Establishing new pillars of cooperation in science - technology and human resource training; promoting the concretization of cooperation in the fields of digital transformation, green transformation; increasing new investment flows from Vietnam to Japan, especially in IT; and expanding cooperation to global issues.
Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van said that the coming time will be a "golden" time for the Vietnam - Japan relationship to enter a more substantial and effective development stage.
Both countries are at a pivotal moment with new beginnings and development aspirations, in which Vietnam under the leadership of General Secretary To Lam is striving to achieve the goal of becoming a developed country with high income by 2045 and preparing for the 14th Party Congress.
Japan under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also aims to restore growth, promote reform and innovation.
In foreign policy, Vietnam always considers Japan not only a top and long-term important strategic partner but also a sincere and trustworthy friend.
Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van believes that in the context of complex international and regional developments, political trust and a common strategic vision will continue to be the foundation for the two countries to strengthen cooperation in the spirit of "honesty, affection, trust, substance, efficiency and mutual benefit", contributing to peace and sustainable development in the region.
