The Vietnamese community in Japan welcomes Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photos Thống Nhất

TOKYO — Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm, his wife Ngô Phương Ly and a high-level Vietnamese delegation arrived in Tokyo at 2.30pm local time on Sunday to begin an official visit to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese State.

Welcoming Party General Secretary and State President Lâm, his wife and the Vietnamese delegation at Haneda International Airport were Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakasone; Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki and his wife; Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Phạm Quang Hiệu and his wife; and staff from the Vietnamese Embassy, together with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Việt Nam and Japan officially established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1973.

Over more than five decades, the bilateral relationship has been progressively upgraded, from a ‘Reliable Partnership for Long-term Stability’ in 2002 to a ‘Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia’ in 2009, an ‘Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia’ in 2014, and a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World’ in November 2023.

Representatives of the Japanese State welcome Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo on Sunday.

Looking back on more than 50 years of diplomatic relations, Việt Nam-Japan ties have made remarkable strides, becoming increasingly comprehensive, substantive and effective. Political trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, with both sides regularly exchanging high-level and other delegations and expanding cooperation across a wide range of areas.

Relations have also flourished at all levels, from leaders to ordinary citizens, through various channels such as the Party, Government and National Assembly.

Japan has consistently been one of Việt Nam's leading economic partners and its largest provider of official development assistance (ODA).

An increasing number of Japanese businesses in high-tech sectors, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), have shown interest in and expanded their operations in Việt Nam. Another notable development has been the emergence of science and technology and innovation as a new pillar of bilateral cooperation.

People-to-people exchanges and ties between localities in the two countries have also grown increasingly close.

Việt Nam and Japan now have more than 100 partnerships between their localities.

In 2026 alone, more than 10 major festivals have been held in the two countries, helping foster mutual understanding, cultural exchanges and friendship between their peoples.

Alongside bilateral cooperation, Việt Nam and Japan have also stepped up coordination at regional and international forums.

The visit is expected to further translate the potential of bilateral ties into concrete cooperation and build on the achievements already made, strengthening the enduring bond between the two countries.

It will also help ensure that the friendship nurtured across generations continues to bring lasting benefits to the peoples of both nations. — VNS