Emperor Naruhito Welcomes Tô Lâm in Tokyo, Receives Invitation to Visit Việt Nam for 55th Anniversary of Ties
Tokyo, The Gulf Observer: Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako received General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm and his spouse, Ngô Phương Ly, in Tokyo on Wednesday, in a meeting that underscored the deepening friendship and expanding cooperation between Việt Nam and Japan.
Held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, the meeting saw Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako express their satisfaction at the positive, substantive and comprehensive development of Việt Nam-Japan relations, as well as the increasingly dynamic exchanges between the leaders and people of the two nations.
Emperor Naruhito Recalls Imperial Family’s Ties with Việt Nam
The Imperial couple recalled the close bonds the Japanese Imperial Family has built with Việt Nam and its people through a series of meaningful visits over the years. These included the 2009 official visit by Emperor Naruhito, then Crown Prince; the 2017 visit by then Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko; and the 2023 visit by Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, which marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
General Secretary and President Tô Lâm expressed his sincere gratitude for the affection and attention that Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other members of the Imperial Family have extended to the Vietnamese people and to bilateral friendship and cooperation over the years.
He also conveyed the greetings of Việt Nam’s leaders and people to Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, describing their 2017 visit to Việt Nam as an important historical milestone in bilateral relations and a cherished memory that the Vietnamese people will always hold dear.
Shared History and Cultural Similarities
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako expressed their pleasure at welcoming the Vietnamese leader and his spouse on their official visit to Japan, voicing confidence that the visit’s success would further strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
The Emperor shared insights into the long history of exchanges between the peoples of Japan and Việt Nam, noting that longstanding people-to-people contacts and cultural similarities have laid an important foundation for the strong friendship and cooperation the two nations enjoy today.
During the meeting, the Vietnamese leader and his spouse shared their impressions of the various cultural exchange activities held during their visit, highlighting the similarities in the character and culture of the two peoples.
New Avenues for Việt Nam-Japan Cooperation
General Secretary and President Tô Lâm pointed to the considerable potential for Việt Nam and Japan to broaden cooperation in the years ahead across education and training, high-quality human resources development, healthcare, culture, tourism and agriculture, areas seen as central to the next phase of the bilateral partnership.
Invitation to Mark 55 Years of Diplomatic Relations
On behalf of the Party, State and people of Việt Nam, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm invited Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to visit Việt Nam in the near future to mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2028. He said such a visit would be an important historical event eagerly anticipated by the people of both countries.
The Emperor and Empress thanked him for the invitation and expressed their wish to visit Việt Nam soon.
Later the same afternoon, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted a banquet at the Imperial Palace in honour of General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, his spouse and several members of the high-level Vietnamese delegation, capping a day that reaffirmed the warmth and depth of Việt Nam-Japan ties.
