Captain Hironobu Tonozaki (first left) of the Japanese coast guard ship KOJIMA is received at Đà Nẵng's Tiên Sa Port on Thursday. The ship and its 87 crew members will stay in the city for four days. — VNS Photo Anh Dũng

ĐÀ NẴNG — The Japanese coast guard training vessel KOJIMA, led by captain Hironobu Tonozaki with 87 crew members, started a four-day friendly visit to the central city of Đà Nẵng on Thursday.

This is the ship's fourth visit to the central city since 2013.

The ship is expected to have exchanges with Việt Nam's coast guard and the Đà Nẵng-based Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination centre during the visit.

The Kojima’s visit is intended to promote understanding and friendship among the Vietnamese and Japanese coast guard forces.

Crew members of the Japanese coast guard ship KOJIMA receive a warm welcome from the Đà Nẵng authority and Vietnamese coast guard at Tiên Sa Port on Thursday. — VNS Photo Anh Dũng

Việt Nam and Japan are active members of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) and the Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM), and have closely co-operated to improve maritime law enforcement.

In March, two training ships from the Japan Coast Guard, the JS Setoyuki and JS Shimayuki, and 390 crew members also paid a friendly visit to the city.

KOJIMA will leave Đà Nẵng’s Tiên Sa Port on Sunday.

Japan plans to open a Consulate Office in Đà Nẵng in 2020 to boost tourism and exchange between Japan and the central city. — VNS