Party General Secretary Tô Lâm hosts former Special Ambassador for Việt Nam-Japan Sugi Ryotaro on Thursday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on Thursday commended former Special Ambassador for Việt Nam-Japan Sugi Ryotaro for his enduring contributions to the bilateral partnership, highlighting his instrumental role in fostering cultural, educational, and humanitarian aid cooperation over the past three decades.

Meeting with the Japanese guest in Hà Nội, the Party chief hailed Sugi Ryotaro as a close friend of Việt Nam, praising his efforts in pioneering Japanese language teaching in the country, promoting cultural cooperation through large-scale art exchange programmes, and advocating for better policies for foreign interns and workers, including those from Việt Nam. He also acknowledged Ryotaro’s active role in capacity-building initiatives across various Vietnamese ministries and sectors.

Sharing his continued commitment to Việt Nam, Sugi Ryotaro outlined recent projects, including upgrading school infrastructure and supporting hepatitis screening and prevention in the northern mountainous province of Yên Bái.

Looking ahead, he proposed new initiatives such as establishing an orchestra for visually impaired people in Việt Nam, facilitating exchanges on Japan’s tourism promotion strategies to attract more Japanese visitors, and boosting the branding of Vietnamese specialty products, particularly tea, in Japan.

The Party chief expressed his appreciation for Ryotaro’s humanitarian aid efforts, particularly his fundraising of nearly US$20 million for disaster relief and his adoption of over 200 disadvantaged Vietnamese children.

He called on the former ambassador to further support Việt Nam by expanding healthcare and education activities in remote areas, enhancing Việt Nam’s global image through Japanese media, maintaining cultural exchange programmes, and strengthening support for the Vietnamese community in Japan. VNS