Former special ambassador for Vietnam-Japan honored

Former Special Ambassador for Vietnam-Japan Sugi Ryotaro has been honored with the third-class Labor Order of Vietnam for his enormous contributions to the relations between the two countries over the past 30 years.

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam (right) hands over the order to Former Special Ambassador for Vietnam-Japan Sugi Ryotaro.

On behalf of the President of Vietnam, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam presented the order to Sugi Ryotaro at a ceremony in Tokyo on October 30.

In his speech, Ambassador Nam highlighted Sugi Ryotaro’s dedication to Vietnam-Japan relations, especially in culture, over the past three decades.

He said when Vietnam was still in hardship, Sugi Ryotaro took the lead in introducing the Japanese culture, music and arts to the Southeast Asian nation to bring the two peoples closer together, thus creating a foundation for the extensive strategic partnership between the two nations nowadays.

The diplomat also highlighted Vietnam’s appreciation of his huge contributions to the country, as well as Vietnam-Japan connections.

In their congratulations, former Politburo member and former Minister of Public Security of Vietnam Le Hong Anh and Secretary General of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai also highly valued Sugi Ryotaro’s devotion to the two countries’ friendship. They expressed their hope that this relationship will keep flourishing in the time to come.

Addressing the event, Sugi Ryotaro recalled his memories of Vietnam, including his meeting with then Party General Secretary Do Muoi in the early 1990s. At that time, he told the Vietnamese leader that the two countries’ ties in both economy and politics remained underdeveloped, so they should use culture to make a breakthrough for this relationship.