The Vietnam Summit in Japan 2023 is a series of seminars held every two years by the Vietnamese Academic Network in Japan (VANJ), the Vietnamese Professionals in Japan (VPJ) and the Vietnamese Youth and Students’ Association (VYSA) in Japan.
The Vietnam Summit in Japan 2023 opened on October 15 at the University of Tokyo as part of activities to mark the 50th founding anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan.
Coinciding with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, it is expected to serve as a platform to foster connections between Vietnamese and Japanese intellectuals.
Pham Quang Hieu, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, highlighted the exponential growth of the Vietnamese community in Japan in recent years, reaching almost 500,000 people and establishing itself as the second largest expat community in the country.
The summit brings together leading scientists and experts at Japanese universities, research institutes and companies, as well as Vietnamese entrepreneurs starting businesses in Japan. (Photo: VNA)
According to the ambassador, there is a significant number of Vietnamese who have pursued education, research, and employment opportunities in Japan over the course of the last two decades.
Many have even attained important positions in teaching, research and management at prestigious universities or prominent businesses in Japan, and now serve as important channels for fostering friendly collaboration between the two nations.
The Ambassador expressed his belief that the deliberations under the Summit's theme "The Flow of the Times - Towards the Future," would outline the directions for future cooperation between the two countries.
Sharing the same opinion, the Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung stated that Japanese experts, intellectuals, and politicians have strongly endorsed the Vietnam Summit in Japan. The Minister affirmed that this will serve as a foundation for fostering ties between the two countries in the future.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy highlighted the indispensable role of overseas Vietnamese scientific intellectuals in Vietnam's science and technology. He highly valued the efforts of Vietnamese intellectuals in Japan who have consistently worked for the interests of their homeland.
Vietnamese intellectuals, businesses, and scientists living in Japan also play a significant role in fostering and advancing cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, particularly in the realms of technology and innovation.
Professor Furuta Motoo delivered a presentation on 50 years of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations and 50 years researching Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)
The rector of Vietnam-Japan University, Prof. Furuta Motoo said the key to the bilateral relations in the future will be whether they can build a truly equal partnership.
The professor believes that Vietnam, thanks to its rapid development, now possesses the foundation and conditions necessary for a bilateral "equal partnership" with Japan, rather than just serving as a developing country offering cheap labor.
Becoming rector of the Vietnam-Japan University allows him to repay Vietnamese teachers and friends, the professor said, said, adding that his most valuable assets are the friends he has made in Vietnam, a expressing that his love for Vietnam is something that is deeply ingrained in his heart.
According to the Professor's assessment of the Vietnam-Japan relationship, the key aspect for the future of Japan-Vietnam relations will be the imperative to forge a "fair partnership" between the two nations.
Trinh Thanh Luan, Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in Japan, emphasized the significance of 2023 as a crucial juncture for both nations to assess the progress of their bilateral relations. Luan emphasizes the importance of young people understanding history, having aspirations for the future, and working together towards common goals.
The plenary discussion "The Flow of the Times - Towards the Future" brought together six speakers representing six timelines in the 50-year history of Vietnam-Japan relations.
Throughout this plenary session, the attending delegates reviewed the entire process of cultivating relations between the two nations over the past half century.