(VOVworld) – A Vietnamese government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan concluded a working visit to Japan on Friday. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nhan held talks with a number of senior Japanese politicians including Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio, Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamura Norihisa, and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shimomura Hakubun.

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shimomura Hakubun (L) welcomes Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan in Tokyo (Photo:VGP)

Nhan proposed that both countries increase mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas, especially in economics, human resources development, and science-technology. He asked Japan to speed up several cooperation projects, including those to upgrade a number of Vietnamese vocational schools and universities, and establish a coordination mechanism to ensure labor supplies for Japanese businesses operating in Vietnam. He also proposed that Japan work on the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and assist Vietnam to improve the capacity of its seaports. Japanese officials said Japan considers Vietnam one of its key partners and wants to further develop the strategic partnership with the Southeast Asian nation. They pledged to maintain official development assistance for Vietnam’s socio-economic development.