Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit awarded to Governor of Niigata, Japan

On December 20, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu presented the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to Governor of Niigata Prefecture, Mr. Hanazumi Hideyo, for his contributions to the development of the Vietnam-Japan friendly cooperative relationship.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu presents the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to Governor of Niigata Prefecture, Mr. Hanazumi Hideyo. Photo: Xuan Giao/VNA reporter in Japan

According to a VNA reporter in Tokyo, speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu said that the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit is a recognition of Governor Hanazumi Hideyo's outstanding efforts in promoting cooperative relations between Niigata Prefecture and localities of Vietnam.

The Ambassador emphasized that in 2023, Vietnam and Japan celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and also decided to upgrade the bilateral relationship to the highest level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world. The Ambassador said that over the past 50 years, bilateral relations have developed comprehensively in all fields, from politics, security, defense, economy, trade, and investment. The Ambassador affirmed that exchanges and cooperation between localities are a bright spot in the relationship between the two countries.

The Joint Statement of the two countries identified comprehensive cooperation in all fields, especially cooperation between localities, as a pillar in the relationship between the two countries in the next 50 years. The Ambassador said that currently, the cooperation between localities of the two countries is extremely extensive, with over 100 pairs of relations established.

The relationship between Niigata Prefecture and Vietnamese localities, including Vinh Long, Thanh Hoa and Can Tho, has become a typical example of local cooperation between Vietnam and Japan. The Ambassador expressed his hope that Governor of Niigata Prefecture, Mr. Hanazumi Hideyo, will continue to pay attention to making this relationship more practical and effective in the future.

The Governor of Niigata Prefecture expressed his honor and joy to receive the Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister of Vietnam. Governor Hanazumi Hideyo said that since 2018, when he took office as Governor, Vietnam has been the country he has visited the most, with a total of 4 times.

The Governor said that Niigata has about 4,500 Vietnamese people working, becoming an important and indispensable part of the local socio-economic development. The Governor expressed his wish to receive more Vietnamese trainees and will make efforts to help Vietnamese workers mature quickly so that they can continue to contribute to their homeland when they return home. The Governor of Niigata Prefecture expressed his wish that Niigata Prefecture would strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese localities in the fields of economy, human resources, tourism and agriculture. The Governor of Niigata affirmed that the noble award from the Prime Minister of Vietnam is an encouragement and motivation for him to continue to make more efforts in enhancing exchange and cooperation activities with Vietnamese localities, strengthening the relationship between Vietnam and Japan in general and between Niigata Prefecture and Vietnamese localities in particular.