Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, Ambassador Pham Quan Hieu, Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Komura Masahiro, and former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda were among the prominent participants.
Hieu expressed deep sympathy for the victims of the recent earthquake in Ishikawa and his belief that the Vietnamese community in Ishikawa and Japan in general would show solidarity in overcoming their difficulties and stabilizing their lives.
Hang said that the two-day festival was an opportunity for the people of both countries to show their solidarity. He praised the efforts of the Vietnamese community in Japan during recent times in helping both community members and locals during difficult times.
Meanwhile, Komura Masahiro said he hoped that the Vietnam Festival would be held in many locations in Japan and that the popularity of the festival was a sign of the Japanese people’s interest in Vietnam. He expressed his belief that the close relations between the two countries would continue to grow over the next 50 years through cultural exchanges.
The festival features 17 pavilions offering popular Vietnamese food and fruit. It is expected to attract around 80,000 visitors.
