Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu (right) offers flowers to Chairman and CEO of Sojitz Corporation Masayoshi Fujimoto at the ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo

TOKYO — The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan held a ceremony on November 22 to present the Prime Minister's certificates of merit to Sojitz Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation in recognition of their contributions to Việt Nam-Japan friendship and cooperation.

The certificates were bestowed upon Chairman and CEO of Sojitz Corporation Masayoshi Fujimoto and President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation Shingo Ueno, who also serve as co-chairs of the Việt Nam-Japan Economic Committee under the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu affirmed the embassy’s commitment to offering all possible support to the corporations, ensuring that economic relations between the two countries will achieve new milestones that reflect the stature of bilateral relationship.

Fujimoto took the opportunity to reflect on nearly 40 years of Việt Nam's renewal policy and 20 years of Sojitz's presence in the country. He expressed the corporation's unwavering commitment to Việt Nam, noting its significant expansion with over 25 joint ventures now operating there.

He also reaffirmed Sojitz's dedication to contributing to Việt Nam’s sustainable economic development and further promoting friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

Ueno, for his part, outlined Sumitomo's extensive involvement in various sectors in Việt Nam, including industrial parks, power plants, chemicals, automobiles, and urban development.

Notably, its recent investments in industrial parks have attracted manufacturing enterprises with a total investment of around US$6.1 billion, employing over 100,000 workers.

He introduced recent projects such as the supermarket system in Hà Nội and the Smart City urban development project in the northern part of Hà Nội, stressing that they would continue to grow, contributing even more to Việt Nam's economic development.

Pledging to continue upholding the Japan-Việt Nam Joint Initiative and supporting Việt Nam, he shared plans to arrange business trips to Việt Nam, explore investment opportunities, and further promote bilateral economic exchanges. — VNS