The Japanese delegation was led by Major General Shirai Ryoji, Director of the Department of Personnel and Training at the Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
During the reception, Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang emphasized that the relationship between Vietnam and Japan has consistently been of mutual concern of both sides’ leaderships. It continues to expand across various sectors, bringing practical benefits to the people of both nations. The year 2023 marks a significant milestone in the Vietnam - Japan relationship as both countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations while lifting their ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.
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Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang welcomes Major General Shirai Ryoji, Director of the Department of Personnel and Training at the Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. |
Building upon the strong bilateral ties, the defense cooperation between Vietnam and Japan has made positive strides, achieving important progress in various areas such as high-level exchanges, sideline engagements at multilateral forums, cooperation in training, cybersecurity, settlement of post-war consequences, consultations, and mutual support at multilateral forums. Last September, both sides successfully co-chaired the Expert Working Groups in Peacekeeping Cycle 4 (2021-2023) within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). It included the Competency Evaluation for Prospective Peacekeeper Program (CEPPP) held in Vietnam.
Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang praised the effective support from the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan through various capacity-building programs including air rescue, underwater mine clearance, military medicine, cybersecurity, U.N. peacekeeping missions, overcoming post-war consequences, and maritime security. He expressed the desire for future collaborations to continue and expand the effectiveness of these cooperation programs.
The deputy chief of the General Staff highly appreciated the defense exchange activities between both nations, notably the Vietnam - Japan high-ranking officers exchange program supported by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation over the past six years. This program has become an effective channel for cooperative exchanges, significantly contributing to mutual understanding and trust among officials and officers of both defense ministries and armed forces. On this occasion, Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang proposed to expand the scale of exchange programs as well as support for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Vietnam, and medical examination and treatment in Japan for Vietnamese servicemen with severe health conditions.
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Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang presents a souvenir to Major General Shirai Ryoji. |
Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense always supports and will continue to facilitate the effective implementation of the Vietnam - Japan high-ranking officers exchange program, contributing positively to the defense cooperation between the two countries.
In turn, Major General Shirai Ryoji thanked Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang for the warm reception and the time devoted to the delegation. He expressed the hope to further strengthen the cooperation between the two sides, especially in the fields of defense and security. Both sides aim to continue exchanging experience, learning from each other, promoting cooperation, focusing on training, high-level exchanges, and expanding collaboration in new areas of mutual capability and interest.
Translated by Trung Thanh