(VOVWORLD) - Japanese people and people worldwide were shocked and stunned at the sudden death of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo last Friday. The late Prime Minister, an internationally influential politician, had special sentiment for Vietnam and Vietnamese people and contributed greatly to the development of Vietnam-Japan ties.
 Japanese Prime MInister Abe Shinzo received Vietnamese Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong in September, 2015 |
Mr. Abe Shinzo paid 4 official visits to Vietnam in 2006, 2013, and 2017, and received several Vietnamese high-ranking leaders in Japan, including Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2015.
Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung, Vice President of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association and former Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, said: "He was a special friend of Vietnam. After he took office as the Prime Minister in 2012, he visited Vietnam during his first overseas trip. It was really special. During his visits to Vietnam on different occasions, including the APEC Leaders’ Meetings in 2006 and 2017, he had fruitful discussions with Vietnamese leaders to strengthen bilateral ties."
The late Japanese Prime Minister always respected and spoke highly of Vietnam’s role in the region and the world. In May 2016, as Japan’s Prime Minister, he invited Vietnam to attend the expanded G7 Summit in Nagoya, Japan. This was the first time Vietnam participated in the expanded G7 Summit since the G7 was created. In 2006, the two countries released the Vietnam-Japan Joint Statement toward strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia. 8 years later, they upgraded their ties to an extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia. During this period, Japan was Vietnam’s largest ODA provider, 2nd largest FDI investor, 3rd largest tourism partner, and 4th largest trade partner.
 Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and his wife were welcome by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife at the Presidential Palace on January 16, 2017 (photo: AFP)
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During Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s terms, Vietnam-Japan ties developed to their fullest point since the two countries established diplomatic ties.
Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung said: "As the Prime Minister holding the longest term in Japan, Mr. Abe had a very close relationship with Vietnamese leaders, which was a firm foundation for the development of bilateral ties over the years. He always had a special sentiment for Vietnam. The development of bilateral ties owed a great deal to Mr. Abe."
Despite his death, Mr. Abe Shinzo will always be a great friend of the Vietnamese people.