Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with Governor of Hokkaido Suzuki Naomichi in Hokkaido prefecture on August 9 (Photo: Foreign Ministry)

At the meeting, Minister Bui Thanh Son urged Hokkaido to further enhance cooperation with Vietnamese localities in trade, investment, tourism, culture, and Japanese language education. He urged Hokkaido businesses to increase investment in Vietnam, particularly in such potential areas as high-tech agriculture, forestry, seafood processing, and export. The Minister also emphasized the importance of collaboration in human resource training, especially for high-quality personnel in the semiconductor industry, and called for the expansion of Vietnamese intern programs. He asked for continued support and favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Hokkaido.

Governor Suzuki Naomichi expressed Hokkaido's desire to strengthen ties with Vietnamese regions and to welcome more skilled workers and technical interns from Vietnam. He agreed on the importance of cooperation in human resource development. The Governor praised the contributions of the approximately 12,000 Vietnamese residents—the largest foreign community in Hokkaido—to the province's socio-economic growth, and pledged ongoing support for the Vietnamese community. He also affirmed Hokkaido's commitment to organizing cultural and people-to-people exchange events, such as the Vietnam Festival in Sapporo (Hokkaido) and the Hokkaido Festival in Ha Long, Quang Ninh province.