Two Japanese citizens Yukihisa Hirano and Taro Nakajima have become thefirst honorary consuls of Vietnam in Japan.

Under the Vietnamese Foreign Minister’s decision, the Chairman of theCentral Japan International Airport Co. Ltd. (Centrair) Yukihisa Hiranois appointed as the honorary consul in Nagoya city in Aichiprefecture, while the President of the Kushiro Coal ExploitationCompany, Taro Nakajima will cover Kushiro city in Hokkaidoprefecture.

At a ceremony on Sept. 29, to presentthe decision, Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh praised Hirano and Nakajima’sactive contributions to the two countries’ relationship, expressing thehope that in their new position, they would make greater and effectivecontributions to bilateral ties.

Talking with theVietnam News Agency correspondent, Hirano said the Vietnam-Japanrelationship is booming and many Nagoya businesses are operatingeffectively in Vietnam .

He said he plans toorganise seminars to introduce Vietnam ’s investment environmentbefore devising any concrete plans to boost ties with Vietnamesepartners.

For his part, Nakagima said he was proudto be appointed as honorary consul of Vietnam in Kushiro andcommitted to do his best to further the cooperation and exchange withVietnam .

He said his company would enhancecooperation with Vietnamese partners and receive Vietnamese trainees forfurther training in the field.

Apart from the Embassy in Tokyo , Vietnam has two consulates in Osaka and Fukuoka cities./.