Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at a ceremony in Da Nang  to kick off a series of workshops and forums on economic, labor and tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Japan on January 13, 2020.

At a ceremony in Da Nang on Monday to kick off a series of workshops and forums on economic, labor and tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, Mr. Hue said the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan has been thriving. He added that Japan is Vietnam’s largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), second largest investor, third biggest tourism partner, and fourth biggest trade partner.

He said Vietnam’s socio-economic development strategy until 2030 with a vision towards 2045 aims to turn Vietnam into a high-income and developed economy.

"The Vietnamese government welcomes and creates favorable conditions for Japanese firms including small and medium-sized enterprises to invest in Vietnam. Vietnam wants Japan not only the top but also the best investor in Vietnam," he said.

The Vietnamese community in Japan has become the third largest foreign community in Japan with nearly 400,000 people. In 2019, more than 900,000 Japanese tourists came to Vietnam with Hoi An ancient city in central Quang Nam province being one of the most popular destinations. The same year, over 400,000 Vietnamese people visited Japan.

Also on Monday, Deputy PM Hue attended the launching ceremony of Vietjet Air’s new routes to Japan. In 2020, the low-cost carrier will open five new routes from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang city to Nagoya, Fukuoka and Kagoshima  Japan, raising the number of  routes linking the two countries to 10.