Hanoi, Nov. 8 (Jiji Press)–Top Vietnamese leader To Lam expressed hopes for closer ties with Japan in an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK ahead of his visit to the country starting Sunday, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported. The general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party, also president of the Southeast Asian nation, told NHK, or Japan Broadcasting Corp., that he looks forward to deepening mutual trust with Japanese leaders and reaching agreements on long-term cooperation, according to the VNA. In the interview, Lam noted that trade between the two countries totaled about 50 billion dollars in the January-October period and that Japanese investment in Vietnam has remained solid. The top leader said he hopes even greater results will be achieved through the growth of Vietnamese companies and Japan’s long-term commitment, expressing his intention to expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as semiconductors and artificial intelligence, the VNA reported. A visit to Japan by a Vietnamese Communist Party general secretary will be the first since the trip by then General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2015. During his stay in Japan through Wednesday, Lam is scheduled to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, deliver a speech at the Diet, Japan’s parliament, and meet with Emperor Naruhito. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
