At the meeting, Gen. Thang highly appreciated the close coordination in recent years between Japan’s Ministry of Defense and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and Vietnam’s MND in successfully organizing delegation exchanges under the Vietnam - Japan Company-Grade and Field-Grade Officers Exchange Program. He noted that the program has contributed to strengthening friendship, cooperation, mutual understanding, and trust between officers and soldiers of the two sides.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Truong Thang and Maj. Gen. Nemoto Tsutomu at the meeting |
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An overview of the meeting |
The Vietnamese defense leader thanked the Foundation for its active support to Vietnam in promoting exchanges and international cooperation, and meaningful programs such as building schools for children in remote and ethnic areas and providing prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs for persons with disabilities. He affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to enhancing exchanges and cooperation between organizations and associations, considering them an effective channel of cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.
He spoke highly of the effective implementation and positive outcomes of bilateral defense cooperation, particularly in all-level delegation exchanges. They include such mechanisms as the Deputy Ministerial-level Defense Policy Dialogue and Staff Officer Consultations between the Navies, Armies, and Air Forces, and collaboration in training, defense industry, settlement of war legacy, which both sides continue to actively promote.
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Gen. Thang (right) presents a souvenir to the guest. |
Highlighting the contributions of the Company-Grade and Field-Grade Officers Exchange Program, proposed and supported by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, to Vietnam - Japan defense relations over the years, Gen. Thang expressed his hope that the Foundation would continue supporting bilateral defense cooperation activities, including the officers exchange program. He also called for further support in the fields of education, healthcare, environmental protection, and human resource development, particularly humanitarian activities such as assistance for persons with disabilities, wounded and sick soldiers, and victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.
He reaffirmed that Vietnam’s MND supports and facilitates the effective implementation of the officers exchange program. He expressed confidence that with the determination and sincere cooperation of both sides, the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries and the two defense ministries will continue to develop in a substantive manner, commensurate with the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Truong Thang, Maj. Gen. Nemoto Tsutomu, and delegates in a group photo |
For his part, Major General Nemoto Tsutomu highly valued the positive results of bilateral defense ties across various fields, including cooperation between the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and Vietnam’s MND. He hoped that both sides would continue coordinating closely and further advancing bilateral defense cooperation at multiple levels, thereby reinforcing its role as one of the key pillars of the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership.
Translated by Mai Huong