At the talks on May 2, Prime Minister Takaichi said Japan wishes to continue supporting Vietnam in enhancing technological self-reliance in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and space. The two sides agreed on measures to soon raise Japan’s investment in Vietnam to USD 5 billion per year and bring bilateral trade turnover to USD 60 billion by 2030.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is paying an official visit to Vietnam from May 1 - 3. On the morning of May 2, following the official welcome ceremony, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, together with their high-level delegations, held talks at the Government Headquarters.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung warmly welcomed Prime Minister Takaichi and the high-level Japanese delegation on their official visit to Vietnam, emphasizing that Vietnam being chosen as the first destination in Asia by Prime Minister Takaichi after her re-election demonstrates Japan’s strong interest in and high priority given to Vietnam.

Congratulating the Japanese Prime Minister on successfully hosting the expanded Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) Summit, thereby affirming Japan’s leadership role and contributions to addressing global energy security challenges, the PM affirmed that Vietnam always considers Japan one of its leading strategic partners and a sincere, trusted friend accompanying it in realizing sustainable development goals.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung expressed confidence that the visit would create new momentum to further promote and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, making it “deeper, more substantive, more effective and more diverse” across all areas of mutual interest, particularly in economy, trade, investment, ODA, digital transformation, green transition, science and technology, food security and sustainable energy, key drivers for the development of both countries as well as the future of the region and the world.

Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae thanked Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, the Government and the people of Vietnam for their warm and respectful reception; congratulated Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on his election and expressed confidence that under his leadership, the Vietnamese Government will achieve even greater successes in the coming time.

The Japanese Prime Minister congratulated Vietnam on its outstanding development achievements and rising international role, noting that Vietnam holds an important position in regional supply chains and pursues an independent foreign policy with deep international integration. She affirmed Japan’s support for Vietnam’s development efforts and orientations and its readiness to accompany Vietnam in achieving its development goals. She also expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam to enhance the autonomy and resilience of both economies.

Noting that Vietnam - Japan relations are developing positively, comprehensively and substantively, with a high level of political trust, deep economic cooperation and increasingly close people-to-people exchanges, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung expressed his wish for the two sides to coordinate closely to bring bilateral ties to a new height and further deepen cooperation in all fields.

In a sincere, friendly and trustful atmosphere, the two leaders held frank and comprehensive discussions on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue strengthening political trust through maintaining annual high-level visits and exchanges; effectively implementing ministerial-level cooperation mechanisms in areas such as diplomacy, trade, industry and energy, and agriculture; and enhancing substantive cooperation in defense and security, especially in maritime issues, post-war consequence remediation, cybersecurity, United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKO), military medicine, training and transnational crime prevention.

Regarding economic cooperation, the two sides agreed to further deepen this pillar through trade, investment and ODA cooperation, thereby contributing to ensuring economic security, energy security and sustainable agriculture.

They agreed on measures to soon raise Japan’s investment in Vietnam to USD 5 billion per year and to bring bilateral trade turnover to USD 60 billion by 2030; to accelerate market access for Vietnam’s green-skinned pomelo and Japan’s grapes; to implement ODA projects on climate change response; and to continue concretizing cooperation frameworks under Japan’s regional initiatives such as AZEC and the Partnership for Energy and Resource Resilience in Asia (POWERR ASIA). The two sides also agreed to promote exchanges on energy projects including nuclear and gas-fired power. Accordingly, Japan will support arrangements for crude oil supply for the Nghi Son Refinery. Prime Minister Takaichi affirmed that Japan will continue supporting Vietnam in effectively implementing the project on one million hectares of low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung shared Vietnam’s efforts to improve the investment environment and cut administrative procedures to better promote the role of the private sector, and to develop the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector as an important component of the economy.

He also appreciated the operations of Japanese banks and financial institutions in Vietnam, which serve as important bridges between businesses of the two countries, and proposed building mechanisms for mergers and acquisitions between small and medium-sized enterprises of both sides. He encouraged Japanese enterprises to invest in high-tech projects, increase localization rates, and support Vietnamese enterprises in participating in Japanese government investment projects and conducting business in Japan.

In science and technology cooperation, the two Prime Ministers agreed to resume the Vietnam - Japan Joint Committee on science and technology cooperation in 2026 and to soon organize a public–private event on high technology. Prime Minister Takaichi said Japan wishes to continue supporting Vietnam in enhancing technological self-reliance in areas such as AI, semiconductors and space, considering these priority areas for future cooperation. She also emphasized promoting high-quality human resource training in advanced technology fields through scholarships for Vietnamese students and researchers, as well as co-funding joint research projects under the Japan - ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Program (NEXUS) and the Sakura Science Program.

Affirming the importance of human resource connectivity, the two Prime Ministers agreed to further promote cooperation in labor, localities, people-to-people exchanges, culture and tourism, and to organize the second Vietnam–Japan Local Cooperation Forum in 2026. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung proposed that Japan simplify visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens, facilitating the goal of doubling two-way tourist flows by 2030. The two leaders also agreed to closely cooperate on the Vietnam - Japan University project and to soon sign the agreement on the university.

On regional and international issues, the two Prime Ministers agreed to continue close coordination at international and regional forums such as ASEAN, the Mekong sub-region and the UN, as well as within the framework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2026 when Vietnam assumes the chairmanship. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of resolving disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung invited Prime Minister Takaichi to attend the APEC Summit 2027 in Phu Quoc and informed that Vietnam will participate in the GREEN EXPO 2027 in Yokohama, Japan. The Japanese Prime Minister pledged efforts to ensure the success of APEC Year in Vietnam.

Following the talks, the two sides agreed to adopt the “List of priority areas for cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and economic security” and issued a joint press statement announcing the outcomes of the talks.

On this occasion, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the exchange of six important cooperation documents in areas including science and technology, ODA loans for climate change response, irrigation, space and emissions reduction.