National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) meets Japan’s House of Representatives speaker Nukaga Fukushiro in Tokyo on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn on Wednesday held talks with the speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives, Nukaga Fukushiro, highlighting the importance of Việt Nam-Japan partnership.

The Vietnamese top legislator is on an official visit to Japan from December 3 to 7.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress of the Việt Nam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, one year after the official upgrade, with high political trust and cooperation across various channels, particularly between the Vietnamese NA and the Japanese House of Representatives.

Japan’s house speaker Nukaga said that Việt Nam is an important partner in Japan’s foreign policy, citing the recent meetings between Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Vietnamese Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and State President Lương Cường.

The two sides agree to promote cooperation across all channels between their Parties, Governments, Parliaments and people, particularly between the Vietnamese NA and the Japanese House of Representatives through delegation exchanges, specialised committees, as well as the Japan-Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance and the groups of young parliamentarians and female legislators.

They will also further collaborate in defence-security, including the implementation of their agreement on transferring defence equipment and technology, United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations and disaster relief.

NA chairman Mẫn expressed gratitude for Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) over the past three decades.

He requested that Japan continue to support Việt Nam with preferential and flexible policies, especially in strategic infrastructure projects and high-quality human resource training.

He added that the Vietnamese NA is actively improving the legal framework for a better investment environment, thereby ensuring stable, long-term investments from foreign companies into Việt Nam.

The Japanese Parliament supports bilateral economic cooperation as well as trade-investment and ODA, the house speaker Nukaga said, adding that the country is promoting the diversification of supply chains, with many businesses hoping to expand and enter Việt Nam.

Both sides also agreed to scale up comprehensive cooperation into new sectors such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, innovation, digital society, green transformation, energy transition, and human resource training.

NA chairman Mẫn also requested Japan to support Việt Nam in joining the global semiconductor supply chains, in which Japanese businesses participate.

In response to the Vietnamese top legislator’s request to promote labour and local cooperation, Nukaga praised the contributions of the Vietnamese community to Japan’s socio-economic development, reiterating that his government will continue to support Vietnamese workers residing in Japan.

Discussing international and regional issues, the two leaders agreed to enhance coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums such as the UN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF). VNS