President Võ Văn Thưởng and his spouse will pay an official visit to Japan from November 27-30. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President Võ Văn Thưởng, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam left Hà Nội on November 26 for a four-day official visit to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese State.

This is the first visit to Japan by President Thưởng and the fourth trip to the East Asian country by Vietnamese Presidents since the two countries established diplomatic ties 50 years ago.

President Thuong and his spouse are accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang, Chairman of the Presidential Office Lê Khánh Hải, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn, Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Thắng, Deputy Minister of National Defence Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Deputy Minister of Public Security Trần Quốc Tô, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu, among others.

This year marks the 50th founding anniversary of Việt Nam-Japan diplomatic relations and the 9th anniversary of the upgrade of the bilateral relationship to an extensive strategic partnership. — VNS