Satisfaction, Interviews Japanese Ambassador

 

I have two New Years - Lunar and Solar calendars. Each New Year has its own meaning and a lot of fun. Vietnam and Japan have many things in common. I have been in Vietnam for nearly five years. It is very exciting to witness many changes taking place each year in Vietnam. Last year, in particular, is an eventful year for Vietnam: APEC Summit, WTO accession. My term in Vietnam is longer than usual and I have been always receiving full cooperation from the host country. My wife also likes Vietnam very much. She made herself many paintings and organized two exhibitions in Vietnam and one in Japan recently on January 21-25, 2007. The exhibitions were very successful and attracting a lot of art-lovers.

 

I am satisfied with the increasingly fine relations between our two countries. In 2006, the relationship has been elevated to a new height. 2006 also witnessed the changes in the government of the two countries. We highly appreciate the fact that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has chosen Japan as the first country to visit. During the visit, the two Prime Ministers have declared the two countries are strategic economic partners. Prime Minister Abe also paid an official visit to Vietnam last year. The two sides have also implemented successfully joint initiatives to promote Japanese investments in Vietnam. Those facts have shown that the two countries share the importance of the bilateral relations and mutual understanding.

 

At the bilateral talk during the visit to Japan, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung proposed Japan to invest in three big projects namely North-South Highway, Trans-Vietnam railways and Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park. Japanese businesses accompanying Prime Minister Abe during his visit to Vietnam have made a survey at the site and promised to make investments in the hi-tech park. For the two other projects, the two sides are studying. On ODA, Japan has always given Vietnam highest priority. While Japan is reducing ODA globally, Vietnam continues to receive increasing Japanese ODA in recent years. It proves that Japan highly estimates the importance of Vietnamese market.

 

First of all, Vietnam must upgrade the infrastructure such as railway, airway, electricity supply and labour. Investment environment must also be improved. Everything must be clear and transparent to prevent corruption and bureaucracy. For example, Japan submitted a project to build a North-South telecommunication fibre line underwater five years ago but didn’t get any answers until now. Why it takes so long time? It is a bureaucracy of Vietnam.

 

Not only Vietnam needs investments. Many other countries also want investments. Therefore, Vietnam should have more attractive conditions to win in the competition. I believe that with the new leadership Vietnam will make more progress to improve the image in the eye of investors.