Party General Secretary Tô Lâm (right) receives Kuroiwa Yuji, Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on Saturday applauded the practical contributions of the Governor and administration of Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture to promoting the locality's ties with Việt Nam, particularly in economy, trade, culture, education and labour.

Receiving Kuroiwa Yuji, Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture in Hà Nội, General Secretary Lâm expressed his pleasure at the strong and comprehensive development of the Việt Nam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, noting that economic cooperation remains the key pillar while science and technology has emerged as a new pillar.

Collaboration in culture, human resources, and people-to-people exchange has also grown increasingly substantive and effective, he said.

He highlighted that Kanagawa is the first Japanese locality to organise annual festivals and investment and labour promotion events in both Japan and Việt Nam. These activities continue to serve as an important bridge connecting the two peoples, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship, and promoting cultural exchange, tourism cooperation, and economic ties. He emphasised that cultural cooperation is an important factor laying a firm foundation for the friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Japan.

At the reception, Kuroiwa briefed the Vietnamese Party leader on the 6th Kanagawa Festival underway in Hà Nội, along with a series of trade and investment promotion events held in Đà Nẵng and HCM City.

He noted that since the first Việt Nam Festival was organised in Kanagawa in 2015, Vietnamese businesses have begun investing in the prefecture. Now 22 Vietnamese enterprises are operating there, while 32 Kanagawa firms have invested in Việt Nam.

He affirmed Kanagawa’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Việt Nam in labour, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and in encouraging more Kanagawa enterprises to invest in Việt Nam.

The Governor also expressed readiness to share Kanagawa’s experience in health care and ageing society response through the MEBYO initiative on promoting healthy longevity. The initiative has been included in a cooperation agreement with Việt Nam’s Ministry of Health.

Welcoming the Governor’s proposals, General Secretary Lâm said he believes Kanagawa will continue to build on its strengths to enhance investment ties, cultural exchanges, and human resource training cooperation with Vietnamese localities.

He called on Kanagawa to maintain regular Việt Nam–Japan cultural festivals.

Appreciating the prefecture’s support for the 40,000-strong Vietnamese community in the prefecture, he urged continued assistance for the community and Vietnamese businesses operating there, as well as expanded exchange of experience in dealing with population ageing and health care.

On this occasion, Governor Kuroiwa also informed the Party chief about a planned musical titled Princess Anio, inspired by the 400-year-old love story between Vietnamese princess Ngọc Hoa and Japanese merchant Araki Shōtarō in Nagasaki. The production is scheduled for debut in Kanagawa in September next year. — VNA/VNS