Hanoi, April 27, 2025 – The Europe Today: Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, accompanied by his spouse Ishiba Yoshiko and a high-level delegation, arrived in Hanoi on Sunday afternoon to begin an official visit to Vietnam, running from April 27 to 29. The visit was made at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his spouse.
The Japanese delegation was warmly welcomed at Nội Bài International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Vũ, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu.
The accompanying delegation includes key figures such as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Aoki Kazuhiko, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Nagashima Akihisa, Secretary-General of Japan’s National Security Secretariat Okano Masataka, and Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki, among others.
In a statement to the press, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki highlighted that the visit aims to strengthen Japan’s relations with Southeast Asia, a region of immense economic growth and strategic importance. Enhancing ties with Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, is considered one of Japan’s top diplomatic priorities. The Ambassador added that the visit would provide Prime Minister Ishiba an opportunity to deepen personal trust with Vietnamese leaders and reaffirm bilateral cooperation across key areas, including defense, security, economic collaboration, and addressing both regional and international challenges.
According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu, strategic discussions between the two countries’ leaders during the visit will center on cooperation in various fields, including Japan’s continued support for Vietnam’s efforts in institutional reforms, infrastructure development, and human resource modernization. These areas are vital to Vietnam’s industrialization and modernization goals.
Economic, trade, and investment cooperation remain at the core of the bilateral relationship between Japan and Vietnam. Japan is currently Vietnam’s leading economic partner, and the two countries will prioritize improving the investment environment, enhancing supply chain connectivity, and expanding market access for goods from both nations. In particular, they are working to expedite market access for Vietnamese pomelos and Japanese grapes, as well as explore the possibility of opening markets to additional fruits and agricultural products, such as Vietnamese passionfruit and Japanese peaches.
Both sides are also committed to exploring new avenues of cooperation to ensure their partnership remains aligned with evolving global and regional circumstances, setting the stage for stronger bilateral relations in the years ahead.
