Amid an increasingly complex security environment in the Asia-Pacific region, the development of the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World is becoming ever more significant.

The production line at Toyo Solar Co. Ltd., a Japanese-invested company in the Cam Khe Industrial Park of Phu Tho province.

This assessment was made by Kanikawa Wakana, First Secretary and Director of the Information and Culture Centre at the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, in a recent statement regarding the foreign policy of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, which places particular emphasis on Vietnam-Japan relations.

According to her, at the 14th National Party Congress, Vietnam highlighted its "strategic self-reliance" in diplomacy and the deepening of international integration.

As this year's chair of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and as the host of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) next year, the country is significantly enhancing its presence in the international arena.

She said that amidst the growing unpredictability of the global situation in recent years, Japan intends to support Vietnam as it plays an active role in ensuring the peace, stability, and prosperity of the international community.

The diplomat noted that in terms of security, Vietnam and Japan held their first Vice-Ministerial "2+2" Foreign Affairs and Defence Dialogue in Tokyo late last year. Around the same time, the Vietnamese Navy frigate Tran Hung Dao made its first port call to Japan.

In Vietnam, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyer Onami visited Vung Tau in March, and the destroyer Asahi is scheduled to make a goodwill visit to Da Nang in April.

This shows that cooperation between the two countries in the fields of diplomacy and security is steadily increasing, said Kanikawa.

In the economic sphere, she noted, cooperation based on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) is making steady progress.

Last year, Japanese investment in Vietnam reached 3.1 billion USD, a 20% increase from the previous year, bringing the cumulative total to 80 billion USD. Annual bilateral trade has grown 1.8 times over the past decade, now reaching 50 billion USD.

She said under the leadership of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, the reforms have gradually moved into the implementation phase and the investment environment has further improved, presenting significant opportunities for Japanese companies to expand their operations.

For Vietnam to achieve double-digit growth in the coming years, Kanikawa suggested the key lies in sectors such as semiconductors, digital transformation (DX), green transition (GX), and disaster prevention. These areas are set to become new pillars of cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

Regarding the semiconductor sector, the diplomat observed that Vietnam wants to train 500 doctoral students by 2030. In support of this, Japan has announced its commitment to host approximately 250 of these students – half of the target – through international joint research programmes.

She added that joint research initiatives between Japanese and Vietnamese universities have already commenced, with five projects selected in the first call for proposals, through which 63 doctoral students are expected to be hosted. Subsequent second and third calls for proposals are scheduled to follow.

At the Vietnam-Japan University (VJU), established by both countries, 106 students are currently enrolled in the "Semiconductor Chip Technology Programme," which was launched last October.

In light of the recent situation in the Middle East, clean energy is becoming increasingly vital, and Japanese capital and technology can be effectively utilised, Kanikawa noted.

Through the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) launched by Japan, the two countries have agreed on the pilot of 15 investment projects totalling approximately 20 billion USD.

These include renewable energy such as offshore wind power, as well as LNG thermal power. These are very important projects for both sides, she stressed.

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