The process of transforming their growing relations to strategiccooperative ties is inevitable to Japan and Vietnam , said YasuakiTanizaki, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam .

Cultural similarities and a respect for each other are the foundationsfor the two countries increased ties in recent years, he said.

Tanizaki told Vietnam News Agency of the plans to celebrate the 40 thanniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties in 2013.

The diplomat was assigned by the Japanese Government to lead the Organising Board of the 2013 Japan-Vietnam Friendship Year.

Hesaid the events proposed for the friendship year, which includefriendly football matches, fashion shows and food festivals, will targetyoung people, given that they are essential to preserving and promotingthe two countries’ growing ties.

The events willillustrate Japanese people’s gratitude to Vietnamese people’s supportand sympathy after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011,Tanizaki said.

He reviewed the two countries’ cooperation in thelast four decades, highlighting two-way trade of over 21 billion USD in2011 and 11.7 billion USD in the first half of 2012.

Japan is the largest foreign investor in Vietnam withregistered capital investment of over 27 billion USD, including 4billion USD from the first half of 2012. Japan is expected to furtherinvest in Vietnam in the future.

Japan hasbeen Vietnam ’s largest ODA provider for years, pledging to supportVietnam ’s industrialisation and modernisation leading up to 2020. Inthe 2011 fiscal year, it made a record ODA pledge of over 208 billionJPY (2.5 billion USD).
Japan’s ODA has been used tobuild infrastructure, develop human resources, restructure State-ownedenterprises, deal with natural disaster and climate change, and assistsocial programmes.-VNA