Da Nang (VNA) – A ceremony was heldin the central city of Da Nang on January 13 to kick off a series of workshopsand forums on economic, labour and tourism cooperation between Vietnam andJapan.

Addressing about 800 delegates of both countriesat the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue welcomed the largest-everJapanese delegation attending an exchange programme so far, noting that thistime’s programme takes place amid the thriving Vietnam-Japan extensivestrategic partnership.

He held that the two countries now have greatopportunities to further enhance cooperation, including in developmentstrategy, production capacity and human resource training.

The Vietnamese Government has been makingunceasing efforts to improve the investment and business climate and createfavourable conditions for Japanese firms to invest in Vietnam, he noted.

Hue also stressed that the workshops and forumsheld this time are occasions for relevant agencies, localities, organisationsand businesses to seek concrete measures for boosting the two economies’connectivity, thereby opening up new cooperation chances and fosteringsubstantive links.

The Deputy PM expressed his belief that in thetime ahead, the two sides will jointly tighten their cohesion and connectivity;beef up economic, investment and trade partnerships so that Japan will becomethe leading investor in Vietnam; and foster labour cooperation. Besides, theywill also increase people-to-people exchange, tourism connections andlocality-to-locality ties to strengthen the two peoples’ mutual understanding.

For his part, Nikai Toshihiro, Secretary-Generalof the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and Chairman of the Japan-VietnamFriendship Parliamentary Alliance, said bilateral relations have beenincreasingly tightened in recent years, especially in the fields of investment,labour and tourism.

As the Japanese delegation consists of nearly1,000 members from many prefectures and cities, he said he hopes through thisseries of events, localities and businesses of the countries will form manypartnerships, and participants will better understand the two Governments’policies, regulations and incentives so as to boost cooperation in the future.

Also on January 13, Deputy PM Hue and Nikaiattended the launching ceremony of Vietjet Air’s new routes to Japan.

In 2020, the low-cost carrier will open five newroutes from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang city to Nagoya, Fukuoka andKagoshima of Japan, raising the number of its routes linking the two countriesto 10./.