Japan PM on why he chose Vietnam for 1st visit Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech at Akihabara electronics store district in Tokyo December 15, 2012. Photo: Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Vietnam today as his first overseas trip since assuming office last December. He earlier explained to Tuoi Tre the reasons he chose Vietnam over other countries. Why did you decide to visit Vietnam first? Shinzo Abe: Asia Pacific is undergoing big changes. We need to strive more to ensure peace and prosperity for the region. In such a context, ASEAN nations have set out a target to build an ASEAN community and boost further cooperation as an economic alliance by 2015. Japan always hold in high regard and walk side by side with ASEAN. I have decided to visit three countries: Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, countries that play an important role as “the center of development” of the 21st century. Increasing cooperation with those three nations is very important to contribute to development and stability of the region. Furthermore, this year is the 40th anniversary of the friendly Japan-ASEAN relationship. The Japan-ASEAN summit is expected to take place in Japan this December. I hope that through this visit, Japan will increase cooperation not only with the three mentioned countries but the strategic cooperation with the whole ASEAN will be raised to a new height. What are the significance and objectives of your visit to Vietnam? - Vietnam is the first country I visit since taking the Prime Ministerial office. Japan and Vietnam have common concerns in Asia Pacific, with both assisting each other in economic matters. Vietnam is also one of the strategic partners of Japan. 2013 is the “Japan-Vietnam friendship year” marking the 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic establishment. I hope this is an opportunity to create a breakthrough in relationship between the two countries which has been well-rounded and growing in many aspects from economy and culture to people exchanges. I also look forward to meeting top Vietnamese leaders like Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is my old friend, President Truong Tan Sang and Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. In October 2006, as Japanese Prime Minister then, you and PM Nguyen Tan Dung issued a joint statement on strategic partnership. What are your assessments of this partnership? - The Japan-Vietnam strategic relation has been developing strongly in many fields in the past six years. After receiving Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Japan in October 2006, in November that year I visited Vietnam. After that, mutual top-level visits regularly took place. On the economic side, the goal of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$15 billion by 2010 was realized two years ahead of target. In 2012, trade turnover reached $25 billion. Japan’s investment in Vietnam also increased quickly. In 2012, Japan was the biggest investor in Vietnam. Since 2006, Japan has been Vietnam’s biggest donor. Besides big projects proposed by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung like the Lang Hoa Lac High Tech Zone, North South Expressway, Japan has been cooperating with many Vietnamese economic projects in many fields in the past six years. On the cultural front, people from both countries understand each other better and better. This 2013 friendship year will see many cultural programs introducing Japanese and Vietnamese cultures taking place in two countries. What is your message to the Vietnamese people on this visit? Two years have passed since I last visited Vietnam. Vietnam has made great strides since then. I look forward to visiting your country to directly feel the atmosphere and witness the change. It can be said that Japan and Vietnam started to have ties in the 16th, 17th centuries. The two peoples have many common cultural traits like using chopsticks, eating rice as the main food and Buddhism. Vietnam has charmed many Japanese tourists. Many Japanese companies are expanding investment in Vietnam. I know that there are more and more Vietnamese learning the Japanese language and loving Doraemon. I myself have many times visited Vietnam and feel very close to the country. I think we need to increase people exchanges further and to make the atmosphere of this friendship year more exciting on many levels. As Prime Minister, I will do my best to further boost ties between the two countries. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in Vietnam over January 16-17 to meet the Vietnamese Prime Minister as well as other senior officials. They will discuss strengthening ties between the two countries and promoting cooperation in politics, national security, economics, trade, and investment. Particularly, they are expected to announce the opening of the Year of Vietnam-Japan Friendship 2013, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. Vietnam is the first stop of Abe’s tour of Southeast Asia, lasting from January 16 to 19. Aside from Vietnam, he is scheduled to visit Indonesia and Thailand. Japanese Chief Cabinet Yoshihide Suga said that these three countries are the leaders of economic growth in the region. This puts them right in the center of interests of Japan. TuoitreNews