On Tuesday, the Japan Times reported that Japan and Vietnam agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, making Japan one of Vietnam’s leading partners together with China, Russia, the Republic of Korea, India, and the US.

According to Japan Times, Japan and Vietnam have set up a close economic relationship for a long time. Japan is the largest ODA donor to Vietnam, helping Vietnam become a regional manufacturing and production center and one of Asia's fastest growing economies. Japan Times highlighted people-to-people exchange activities. Vietnamese people make up the second largest foreign community in Japan, with 520,000 people who play an important role in Japan's technical intern trainee program.

On the same day, Japan News reported that many countries are approaching Vietnam which is pursuing multi-directional diplomacy and Japan wants to catch up with this trend.

Mainichi, Yomiuri paper and Jiji news agency spotlighted the reception for Thuong and his wife by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

The Emperor expressed his hope that the Vietnamese leader's visit to Japan will help further the longstanding relationship between the two countries, wrote the article.

The Chunichi Shimbun ran an article on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.