Vietnam - Japan relations: Looking back on 50 years with a new vision and development orientation

Vietnam-Japan relations have a long history, built on the foundation of cultural and historical similarities and mutual sympathy between the two peoples, leaving significant marks in the archives of both countries.

In 1592, King Le The Tong sent envoys to Japan to congratulate King Toyotomi Hideyoshi on his accession to the throne. In the early 17th century, Japanese merchants came to Vietnam to trade in the Indian ship system and formed many Japanese communities in Vietnam, notably, in Hoi An, Quang Nam. In the modern period, Japan chose the “Minh Tri - Meiji” path, achieving brilliant development, becoming a model for many Asian countries, while Vietnam was still entrenched in a backward feudal regime, getting isolated and targeted by Western colonialism.

The revolutionary movements led by patriotic scholars such as Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chau Trinh in the early 20th century saw Japan’s reform and renovation as the way for Vietnam to rise up and escape its backwardness, poverty, and to fight for independence.

Revolutionary and patriotic scholar Phan Boi Chau affirmed that Vietnam and Japan “were of the same culture, race, and region,” a sentiment that is true to this day and will remain true moving forward. This foundation forms a deep empathy, shared understanding, and close friendship between the peoples of both countries from the past through to the present and future.

More than 50 years ago, amidst a complex international context and while Vietnam was still divided and at war, Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic relations, marking a historical turning point.

Throughout the process of renovation, opening up and international integration, Vietnam persistently promotes a foreign policy of independence, autonomy, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development; diversification and multilateralization; being a good friend and reliable partner to countries worldwide; and an active and responsible member of the international community. In this context, Vietnam-Japan relations have continuously developed, becoming more comprehensive and profound, and reaching new heights.

In 1994, Prime Minister Murayama Tomiichi was the first Japanese prime minister to officially visit Vietnam. In 1995, General Secretary Do Muoi visited Japan, also the first time the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam officially visited a G7 country.

Japan has actively supported Vietnam’s renovation policy; Supported Vietnam’s participation in many regional and international cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN and cooperation mechanisms between ASEAN and Japan, APEC, ASEM, ARF, and so on.

Over the past half century, Japan has been a leading partner and one of the largest ODA providing countries, making an important contribution to the process of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and building infrastructure in Vietnam.

Today, when traveling across the length of Vietnam, we can witness projects that represent the friendship between the two countries, such as the upgrading of Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), Cho Ray Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), Passenger Terminal T2 Noi Bai International Airport, Nhat Tan Bridge, the section of road connecting Nhat Tan - Noi Bai Bridge, Bai Chay Bridge, Can Tho Bridge, etc., along with prominent landmarks representing Japan’s outstanding performance in the Mekong Subregion cooperation program and the East-West Economic Corridor cooperation program.

Japan is currently Vietnam’s second largest trading partner, with two-way trade turnover in 2023 reaching USD 70.3 billion. Japan is one of the largest investors in Vietnam, with a total registered investment capital of USD 81.1 billion. Japanese technology, goods and services are always highly appreciated for their modernity, comfort, and quality, suitable for the development conditions, culture, and lifestyle of Vietnamese people.

One thing cannot be denied: Vietnam-Japan relations are of special importance to security, cooperation, and development in the region. The two countries have high political trust and many common interests, which continue to be promoted. In recent years, the two countries have actively cooperated in human resource training, information exchange, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. Japan has supported Vietnam in strengthening its security and defense potential, sharing the view of resolving international disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law.

Currently, with more than 500,000 people living, working and studying in Japan, the Vietnamese community is the second largest foreign community in the Land of the Rising Sun (Japan), an important bridge in terms of culture and people between the two countries. Frequently organized cultural exchange events and festivals have become a prominent mark in the two countries’ relations, thereby contributing to cultivating and strengthening the friendship between the two peoples and passing this cherished sentiment and relationship on to the younger generations to continue enriching and deepening.

Japan is one of the largest markets receiving Vietnamese interns. Japan is Vietnam’s third largest tourism partner and one of the most attractive destinations for Vietnamese tourists. Every year, the Japanese Government grants thousands of scholarships to Vietnamese students, trainees, and graduate students. About more than 50,000 Vietnamese students are studying and living in Japan, contributing to promoting people-to-people exchanges, knowledge connections, and scientific and educational cooperation between the two countries.

“Fire tests gold, hardship tests strength”, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”, looking back on the past 50 years, the Vietnam-Japan relationship shows a very vivid testament to persistent efforts to persevere, overcome all difficulties and challenges, to explore and pave the way to establish an exemplary relationship between the two countries. With increasingly similar interests, the field of cooperation is increasingly comprehensive, and strategic trust is deepening.

From the Investment Agreement signed in 2003, just 5 years later, the two countries upgraded it to an Economic Partnership Agreement, creating a solid legal basis and promoting extensive cooperation in all fields. In 2009, Japan was the first G7 country to establish a strategic partnership with Vietnam. Only five years later, the two countries’ relationship was upgraded to “Extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia”. Notably, in November 2023, the two countries signed a joint statement on upgrading relations to a “Comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world”, marking the opening of a new era. The new developments in Vietnam-Japan relations are at a level that few people could have imagined 50 years ago.

From being closely related countries with many historical similarities, overcoming many obstacles to become each other’s comprehensive strategic partners and today, they have truly become two companions with shared aspirations. We believe that Vietnam-Japan relations will continue to develop faster, more comprehensively and more deeply in the coming time. Just as Crown Prince Akishino said, “For Japan, Vietnam is a close country, an increasingly important partner”.

The world and regional context are changing rapidly, complex, and difficult to predict, with intertwined opportunities and challenges. The evolution of globalization and regionalization is creating a new look for economic, political, cultural, and diplomatic relationships. Strategic competition between major countries is increasing. Armed conflicts and local wars take place in many new forms. Urgent global and non-traditional security issues are becoming more and more complex, requiring countries to make cooperative efforts to resolve them.

Overcoming many ups and downs and fluctuations in the world and the region over the past half century and continuing to move forward with new dynamics, Vietnam-Japan relations are at their optimal point with many opportunities for strong and comprehensive cooperation and development in all fields: economics, politics, defense - security, trade, investment, science - technology, education - training, culture - society, and so on.

Summarizing and evaluating the Vietnam-Japan cooperative relationship for more than 50 years provides a basis for building a vision and development orientation for the two countries’ relationship in the new period on the following key issues:

(1) Continue to strengthen strategic trust, promote cooperation in the fields of politics, defense and security: the two countries need to support each other in multilateral forums and bilateral cooperation, functioning as connectors within international organizations of which each country is a member, unifying perceptions and action in protecting the United Nations Charter and international law, actively participating in the peacekeeping activities of the international community as well as activities to protect security and safety at sea, especially in the East Sea.

(2) Take full advantage of the development opportunities brought by the upgrade of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement; Promote trade, investment, and cooperation in the fields of industry, agriculture, services, and supporting industries along with important transformation processes such as digital transformation, green transformation, energy transformation, human resource transformation and strongly promote development cooperation in the Mekong subregion.

(3) Continue to strengthen cooperation in training at university, college, and vocational levels, training high-quality human resources, applying modern techniques, helping to improve the quality of human resources for Vietnam; Support each other in developing high technology that are strengths of Japan. Strengthen cultural, artistic, and sports exchange activities in diverse and extensive forms, so that the people of the two countries get closer and understand each other much better; Actively educate and propagate these values so that future generations can understand and preserve the lasting friendship of the two nations and peoples.

Vietnamese people have a saying: “Friends mean mutual understanding. It shall be friendly and everlasting”. This sentence means that if we are friends, it will always be the same, always side by side in times of need. And the Japanese also have a saying: “Don’t walk after me, I’m not sure I can lead; Don’t walk in front of me, I’m not sure I can follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” With similarities in culture, tradition and geographical proximity, sharing the same idea of good friendship, believing that the two countries will always go together, support and help each other develop; the relationship between the two countries will continue to develop comprehensively and profoundly, for the benefit of the two peoples, for peace, wealth, and prosperity of Vietnam, Japan, the region, and the world as a whole.