TOKYO — President Trần Đại Quang kicked off his State visit to Japan on Tuesday afternoon with a visit to Gunma prefecture, where about 7,000 Vietnamese people are living.  

At a reception for Gunma prefecture’s Governor Masaaki Osawa, Quang said he appreciated that Osawa’s selected Việt Nam as the first country to visit after he was re-elected Governor of Gunma in 2015. 

He called on Gunma to enhance co-operation with Vietnamese localities in order to effectively utilise the potential of both sides by increasing people-to-people exchanges and stepping up collaboration in tourism and investment, especially in high-tech agriculture, farm produce processing and preserving industry, and manufacturing and supporting industries. 

The President also suggested Gunma prefecture receive more Vietnamese trainees and workers in the fields of agriculture and construction. 

Osawa briefed President Quang on the results of co-operation between Gunma and Việt Nam over the recent past, saying that 12 businesses from the prefecture have invested in Việt Nam. Gunma is also assisting nearly 40 enterprises which plan to invest in the country in the time to come, according to the governor. 

Gunma prefecture wants to receive more highly-skilled Vietnamese workers and trainees. 

At the reception, many local firms expressed their wish to increase educational co-operation with Việt Nam, particularly with Vietnamese universities, to create qualified human resources, thus meeting cooperation needs in economy, trade and investment between Vietnamese and Japanese localities. 

Later on the same day, Quang visited Koganei Seiki Co, which specialises in manufacturing aircraft and formula one cars. There are 39 Vietnamese out of 240 engineers working in the company. 

Quang and his spouse are on a State visit to Japan until June 2, at the invitation of the State of Japan. 

An official welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader is scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo under the chair of Emperor Akihito.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are scheduled to meet with and hold a state banquet in honour of President Quang and his spouse. 

During the visit, President Quang will also hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. — VNS