Party chief praises former Japanese ambassador for helping strengthen bilateral ties

Party General Secretary To Lam hosts former Special Ambassador for Vietnam-Japan Sugi Ryotaro on March 20.

Meeting with the Japanese guest in Hanoi, the Party chief hailed Sugi Ryotaro as a close friend of Vietnam, praising his efforts in pioneering Japanese language teaching in the country, promoting cultural cooperation through large-scale art exchange programs, and advocating for better policies for foreign interns and workers, including those from Vietnam. He also acknowledged Ryotaro’s active role in capacity-building initiatives across various Vietnamese ministries and sectors.

Sharing his continued commitment to Vietnam, Sugi Ryotaro outlined recent projects, including upgrading school infrastructure and supporting hepatitis screening and prevention in the Northern mountainous province of Yen Bai.

Looking ahead, he proposed new initiatives such as establishing an orchestra for visually impaired people in Vietnam, facilitating exchanges on Japan’s tourism promotion strategies to attract more Japanese visitors, and boosting the branding of Vietnamese specialty products, particularly tea, in Japan.

The Party chief expressed his appreciation for Ryotaro’s humanitarian aid efforts, particularly his fundraising of nearly 20 million USD for disaster relief and his adoption of over 200 disadvantaged Vietnamese children.

He called on the former ambassador to further support Vietnam by expanding healthcare and education activities in remote areas, enhancing Vietnam’s global image through Japanese media, maintaining cultural exchange programs, and strengthening support for the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Source: VNA