(VOVworld) – Vietnam-Japan Meeting Program 2012 will open next week to promote external trade, Vietnam’s land and people, and manpower training cooperation. The event, organized in Tokyo and Fukuoka by Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will open a series of activities marking next year’s 40^th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan friendship.

Meeting program to link Vietnam and Japan

At a press briefing yesterday Tran Ngoc An, Director of Economics of the Department of Foreign Affairs, said developing a strategic partnership with Japan is a top priority of Vietnam’s foreign policy. An said: “Vietnam-Japan Meeting Program 2012 reflects our hope and determination to foster a comprehensive strategic partnership with Japan while enabling us to mobilize more investment from Japanese business. A Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year will be launched next year, triggering high-level visits, trade promotions, and other economic and socio-cultural exchanges. The event will be a lever for flourishing Vietnam-Japan relations in the future.”

The weeklong event’s highlights will be an art performance to introduce Vietnam’s culture and a forum on investment promotion in support industries. It will include a dialogue on vocational training and human resource development. The Vietnam Festival 2012 will introduce Vietnam’s traditional and contemporary culture through outdoor art, long dress (ao dai) fashion shows, and food fairs with a focus on tourism promotion.