Attending the meeting were Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Mr. Yamada Takio, Consul General of Vietnam in Osaka (Japan) Mr. Ngo Trinh Ha, and leaders of units of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Wakayama Prefecture.

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet congratulates the strong friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan (Photo: TITC)

At the meeting, MOCST’s Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet sent out his congratulation on the results of close friendship cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in recent years, especially in the fields of culture, sports and tourism. There have been numerous cultural exchange activities organised by Vietnam in localities in Japan, as well as successful activities by Japan in Vietnam.

Regarding tourism, in 2019, Japan is one of the key tourist source markets of Vietnam; and post the Covid-19, the number of Japanese visitors to Vietnam is in the top with nearly 250 thousand arrivals in the first 6 months of 2023. Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan also reaches nearly 270 thousand arrivals.

Overview of the meeting (Photo: TITC)

During the working mission of H.E. Mr. Nikai Toshihiro, Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union with the MOCST in May, the two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and connections in the fields of culture, sports and tourism. MOCST’s Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet indicated that the signing of the cooperation agreement between the two sides is to realise the cooperation commitments between the Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam.

Along with the contents signed in the Memorandum of Cooperation Agreement, Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet expressed his wish that Wakayama Prefecture would pay attention and support in the fields of culture, sports and tourism of Vietnam to strengthen further exchanges and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

Mr. Kishimoto Shuhei, Governor of Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, is pleased to visit and work in Vietnam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (Photo: TITC)

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Kishimoto Shuhei, Governor of Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, expresses his happiness to visit and work in Vietnam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Wakayama government is making efforts to organise direct flights between Vietnam and Wakayama Prefecture. Besides, currently, Vietnamese workers account for more than half of Wakayama's abroad workers. In the prefecture, there is an international trade promotion office and businesses often come to discuss investment abroad, in which Vietnam is the country most businesses want to invest in. According to Governor Kishimoto Shuhei, Vietnam is a country with a thriving economy in the region, with a young population, so people and businesses in Wakayama Prefecture show their increased interest. Governor Kishimoto Shuhei further shows his wish to welcome more Vietnamese visitors to the prefecture in the near future.

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet and Governor of Wakayama Prefecture Kishimoto Shuhei sign an Agreement on Culture and Tourism Cooperation (Photo: TITC)

The culture and tourism cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Government of Wakayama Prefecture (Japan) opens up the potential to strongly promote cooperation between Vietnam and Wakayama Prefecture on culture and tourism. One of the important contents of the Agreement is that Vietnam will strengthen tourism promotion activities, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people exchanges in Wakayama Prefecture and Kansai region, towards Vietnam's participation in the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.

In the upcoming time, MOCST will enhance promotion activities, tourism promotion, cultural and sports exchanges in each locality of Japan, including Wakayama Prefecture; towards effectively promoting the culture of each country, the characteristics of each locality, and deepening the good relationship between the two nations.

The signing and implementation of this Agreement at the time when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is an opportunity to promote the cultural characteristics and landscapes of Vietnam and Japan to people of the two countries, promoting the development of tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Wakayama Prefecture in particular and with Japan in general, actively contributing to further strengthening the extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia between the two countries.

Leaders of both sides exchanging souvenirs (Photo: TITC)

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