The Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka, in collaboration with the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association of Sakai city, Osaka prefecture, and the local administration have organised a special concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, who is also head of the Foreign Ministry’s State Committee for overseas Vietnamese Affairs, said the event and a series of other cultural activities to take place in both countries in the coming time will contribute to promoting cultural exchanges and cohesion between the two nations, adding it is a foundation to build a strong relationship between the two countries in the coming time.

Takei Shunsuke, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, said the bilateral relations are at the best stage and that 2023 is a special time for the two sides to review the achievements they made in the last 50 years and to strive for a better relationship in the next 50 years.

Earlier, during his visit to Japan from April 5-7, Deputy Minister Hieu paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor of Sakai city, received leaders of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in Sakai city and the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in Kansai, and met with representatives of Vietnamese associations there./.