Prof. Le Quan, Chairman of VNU Vietnam Japan University Council and President of VNU, and Prof. Furuta Motoo, Rector of VNU Vietnam Japan University, welcomed the Prime Minister and took part in a working session with him.

The event was attended by high-ranking Vietnamese officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Japan Pham Quang Hieu, along with representatives of various ministries and central agencies.

From the Japanese side, the participants included Mr. Takebe Tsutomu, Special Advisor to the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance; Mr. Aoki Kazuhiko, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Ito Naoki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam; and representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The visit by Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru demonstrated Japan’s strong interest in the development of VNU Vietnam Japan University and reaffirmed the two countries' commitment to promoting cooperation in education, scientific and technological research, and high-quality human resources development, aiming toward a shared sustainable and prosperous future.

Notably, during the meeting with General Secretary To Lam on April 27, the President of the Liberal Democratic Party and Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru agreed to support the training of high-quality human resources both in Japan and at VNU Vietnam Japan University - a symbol of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

Established under Decision No. 1186/QD-TTg dated July 21, 2014, by the Prime Minister of Vietnam, based on a joint initiative by the high-level leaders of Vietnam and Japan, VNU Vietnam Japan University pursues a research university model and a philosophy of liberal education. It aspires to become an outstanding institution for education and research in advanced science and technology as well as interdisciplinary social sciences, making a positive contribution to Vietnam’s sustainable development and strengthening Vietnam-Japan bilateral cooperation.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s visit took place in the context that, shortly earlier, on April 18, 2025, the Prime Minister of Vietnam signed Decision No. 796/QD-TTg approving the investment policy for VNU Vietnam Japan University Construction Project. This project holds strategic significance in developing the University into an internationally standardized institution, equipped with modern infrastructure and advanced governance systems, thereby contributing to the training of high-quality human resources for the knowledge economy.

Addressing the event, VNU President Le Quan said, "Throughout the development of VNU, we have consistently received strong support and companionship from Japanese partners. Perhaps, the clearest evidence of this lies in our scientific and academic staff with hundreds of faculty members – doctoral degree holders of Japan’s prestigious universities. Notably, at VNU Vietnam Japan University, hundreds of Japanese professors and researchers are working alongside us in various training and research activities. We also welcome hundreds of Japanese students each year for both long-term studies and exchange programs at VNU".

VNU’s member universities and research institutes have a long-standing tradition of cooperation with Japanese universities, research institutions, and enterprises in two key areas: Vietnamese/Japanese language and culture, and advanced science and technology. VNU President Le Quan emphasized that these partnerships have laid the foundation for the establishment and development of VNU Vietnam Japan University and they continue to serve as a vital basis for VNU to expand programs in advanced technology and engineering, especially in semiconductors, digital transformation, green transition, and high-tech agriculture - pivotal areas as Vietnam enters the era of national rise.

VNU President Le Quan reaffirmed VNU’s strong commitment to further accelerating the development of VNU Vietnam Japan University into a comprehensive hub for Vietnam-Japan relations. VNU Vietnam Japan University is positioned to nurture talented individuals for both countries and to expand international academic collaboration, built upon the established traditions such as the East Asian University Forum (BESETOHA), which has been active since 1999.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru expressed his gratitude for the warm and respectful welcome extended by VNU and VNU Vietnam Japan University. He affirmed that Japan and Vietnam had agreed to cooperate in the training of high-quality semiconductor human resources. He was pleased to witness VNU Vietnam Japan University’s efforts to expand its training capacity and to develop appealing innovative academic programs, including the Semiconductor Engineering Technology program.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru expressed his hope that VNU Vietnam Japan University project in Hoa Lac would soon be accelerated, thereby creating an excellent environment for learning and research. He also hoped that the students and trainees of VNU Vietnam Japan University would serve as bridges fostering strong and friendly cooperation between Japan and Vietnam.

During the exchange with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, students from VNU Vietnam Japan University shared their reasons for choosing to study at the university, their impressions of their academic experience, and their aspirations for the future.

On the same afternoon, Mrs. Ishiba Yoshiko, spouse of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, visited and engaged in an exchange session with students of the Foreign Language Specialized School, VNU University of Languages and International Studies. Through her sincere and heartfelt remarks, Mrs. Ishiba Yoshiko shared that this was her first visit to Vietnam - a vibrant and energetic country where she could clearly feel the positive role of the young generation. She said that before the trip, she had eagerly looked forward to meeting outstanding Vietnamese students studying the Japanese language - a vivid testament to the affection of the Vietnamese people for the "Land of the Rising Sun”. Mrs. Ishiba Yoshiko noted that the Japan-Vietnam relationship has been expanding across various fields, including politics, economics, and culture, and that the most sustainable foundation of this relationship lies in people-to-people exchanges, especially among the youth of both countries. She expressed her strong hope that the passion, enthusiasm, and intellect of the students would contribute to elevating the friendship between Japan and Vietnam to a new height.