ĐÀ NẴNG — The Japan-Việt Nam Friendship Association of Kawasaki has donated around 200 bicycles to underprivileged children in the districts of Hòa Vang, Cẩm Lệ and Ngũ Hành Sơn of Đà Nẵng City every year since 2003.

The association said the bike donation project, which was organised by Haruo Miyahara, director of the association in 2003, has delivered over 12,000 second-hand bikes to school children facing financial difficulties in Đà Nẵng and Quảng Nam.

Volunteers helped collect and package the bikes in containers for shipping from Kawasaki port to Đà Nẵng and delivering them to kids living in Đà Nẵng and Quảng Nam.

Miyahara confirmed that this project would continue and develop to further boost friendship and cooperation in the future.

The Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association was established by the Japanese veterans who remained in Việt Nam after the second world war to fight for Vietnamese independence. It was established on March 19, 1955, when they returned to Japan.

Đà Nẵng and Hội An boost cultural exchange with Japan by hosting the annual Việt Nam-Japan Culture Exchange Festival in August.

Japan plans to open a Consulate General in Đà Nẵng as a way of boosting tourism and exchange between Japan and the central city.

Japanese language teaching has been offered at some junior secondary schools as part of the city’s foreign language teaching programme for 2012-20.

Đà Nẵng also reserved a 1.2ha area for developing the Japan-Việt Nam Culture Centre in Ngũ Hành Sơn District. It has also launched direct flights from Đà Nẵng to Osaka and Narita. — VNS