General Nguyễn Tân Cương, Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, held talks with visiting General Uchikura Hiroaki, Chief of Staff of Japan’s Joint Staff on June 2 in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Defence co-operation between Việt Nam and Japan continues to be strengthened, achieving many practical and effective results and serving as one of the important pillars of bilateral relations, alongside the positive development of the two countries, said General Nguyễn Tân Cương.

General Cương, member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, on Tuesday presided over a welcome ceremony and held talks with General Uchikura Hiroaki, Chief of Staff of Japan’s Joint Staff, who is paying an official visit to Việt Nam from May 31 to June 3.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence, training, cybersecurity, peacekeeping and search and rescue operations.

During the talks, General Cương said General Hiroaki’s visit took place only one month after the successful visit to Việt Nam by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, creating new momentum and opening further opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on regional and global developments and issues of mutual concern.

Cương reaffirmed that Việt Nam would consistently pursue an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, friendly, cooperative and development-oriented foreign policy; adhere to its Four No’s defence policy; and advocate resolving disputes and disagreements in the East Sea through peaceful means based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He also expressed the hope that negotiations on an effective, substantive and enforceable Code of Conduct in the East Sea would be concluded and signed soon.

Highly appreciating the achievements of defence cooperation in recent years, Cương said both sides had effectively maintained dialogue and consultation mechanisms and strengthened exchanges of delegations at all levels, expanded co-operation in education and training, promoted cooperation among military services and branches and participated in United Nations peacekeeping activities.

The two sides had conducted search and rescue operations, advanced defence industry cooperation, enhanced maritime security cooperation, addressed war legacy issues and coordinated closely at multilateral defence forums, particularly within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).

Cương also thanked the Japanese Government for actively supporting Việt Nam in addressing the consequences of war, including providing equipment for dioxin and environmental analysis and implementing a non-refundable aid project supplying equipment for unexploded ordnance clearance.

Regarding future co-operation, Cương proposed that both sides continue to increase exchanges of delegations, maintain annual cooperation mechanisms, promote cooperation in cybersecurity, training, capacity-building and seminars on cyber defence, strengthen cooperation in UN peacekeeping and defence industry development and support one another at international multilateral forums.

He also expressed the hope that Japan’s Ministry of Defence would continue to provide military scholarships for Vietnamese officers and expand undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in science, engineering and technology.

Việt Nam’s Ministry of National Defence would stand ready to receive students from Japan’s Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Forces for training courses in Việt Nam.

Regarding search and rescue cooperation, Cương said the memorandum of co-operation signed by the two defence ministries in December 2025 had opened a new phase in this humanitarian field.

He proposed that both sides promptly implement specific cooperative activities to enhance disaster and emergency response capabilities.

On this occasion, General Cương cordially invited leaders of Japan’s Ministry of Defence, the Self-Defence Forces and Japanese defence industry enterprises to attend the third Việt Nam International Defence Expo, scheduled to take place in December 2026.

For his part, General Hiroaki said the visit continued the active high-level exchanges between the leaders of the two countries and their defence ministries in recent times, including the Japanese Prime Minister’s official visit to Việt Nam in May 2026 and meetings between defence leaders at various international forums.

The Japanese Chief of Staff said the visit was an important opportunity to further deepen cooperative relations between Việt Nam and Japan.

He expressed his hope that both sides would continue to effectively implement agreed areas of cooperation, focusing on delegation exchanges, human resource training and enhanced cooperation among military services and branches, thereby advancing bilateral defence cooperation in line with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World between Việt Nam and Japan.

Earlier, the Japanese high-level military delegation laid a wreath and paid tribute at the Mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh, laid flowers at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs and visited several agencies, military units and historical sites in Hà Nội and Bắc Ninh Province. During the visit, the delegation also paid courtesy calls on General Phan Văn Giang, Minister of National Defence, and met with Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Hiền, Deputy Minister of National Defence. VNS