MILESTONES IN BILATERAL RELATIONS

BETWEEN THE S.R. OF VIET NAM AND JAPAN

 

 

 

- 21 September 1931: establishment of Viet Nam – Japan Diplomatic Relations

- In 1975, Viet Nam and Japan opened their Embassies in Hanoi and Tokyo respectively. Viet Nam and Japan then signed a Post-war Reparation Agreement, through which Japan provided compensation to Viet Nam in the form of Official Development Assistance (ODA).

- From 1979-1991, due to the Cambodia issue, Japan suspended the agreed assistance and both countries had limited political engagement. 

- In 1992, Japan resumed assistance for Viet Nam. Since then, the bilateral economic, political, and cultural ties have been expanded, with rising mutual trust and understanding between both sides. Japan is currently a leading economic partner of Viet Nam in terms of ODA, investment, and trade volume.

- In April 1993, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet was the first Vietnamese Prime Minister to visit Japan.

- In 1994, Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama was the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Viet Nam.

- In 1995, General Secretary Do Muoi was the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam to visit Japan.

- In April 2002, during Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s official visit to Viet Nam, the two countries established the “Partnership of Mutual Trust and Long-term Stability”.

- In July 2004, the Foreign Ministers of both sides issued the Joint Statement “Toward a Higher Sphere of Enduring Partnership”.

- In November 2006, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an official visit to Viet Nam. On this occasion, Viet Nam and Japan issued the Joint Statement “Toward a Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia”.

- In November 2007, President Nguyen Minh Triet visited Japan on his first State visit. President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda signed the Joint Statement on the Deepening Relations between Japan and Viet Nam and the Agenda Towards a Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Japan.

- In 2009, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh paid an official visit to Japan. During his visit, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and Prime Minister Taro Aso signed the Viet Nam-Japan Joint Statement on the Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia, which upgraded the Viet Nam-Japan relations to Strategic Partnership. Japan was the first country in the Group of Seven (G7) to establish a Strategic Partnership with Viet Nam.

 

- In October 2010, Prime Minister Naoto Kan paid an official visit to Viet Nam. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Prime Minister Naoto Kan signed the Viet Nam - Japan Joint Statement on the Comprehensive Development of Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia.

- In March 2014, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang paid a State visit to Japan. On this occasion, the two countries issued the Viet Nam-Japan Joint Statement on the Establishment of the Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia.

- In September 2015, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid an official visit to Japan. The two countries issued the Joint Vision Statement on Viet Nam-Japan Relations.

- From 28 February 2017 to 05 March 2017, Their Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko paid their first State visit to Viet Nam.

- In October 2020, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide paid an official visit to Viet Nam. This was his first overseas official visit since taking office as the Prime Minister./.

(June 2021)