Japanese FM says to support upon Vietnam's request in climate change adaptation

"Japan is willing to support if Vietnam has concrete request in adaptation to climate change, including drought and saline intrusion," said Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday.

Kishida made the remark at a press briefing after co--chairing the eighth meeting of the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh here on Friday.

Minh, for his part, highlighted the fact that Japan will support Vietnam in studying and building policy in response to serious situation of drought and saline intrusion in the country's central and southern regions.

Vietnam expects concrete cooperation projects in Japan- Mekong initiative framework, will be soon implemented, especially those in response to drought and saline intrusion resulted from climate change in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, Minh said.

Concerning economics, the visiting Japanese official Kishida told reporters "at the meeting, we also agreed to strive to improve investment environment as well as remove obstacles for companies, for a goal of expanding Japanese businesses in Vietnam. "

Minh said during the eighth session of the committee, "we reached consensus on numerous cooperation contents in healthcare and education among others."

Highlighting the 2.5-billion-U.S. dollar official development assistance (ODA) Japan granted for Vietnam during 2015 fiscal year, Minh urged Japan to continue providing high level of ODA for Vietnam in 2016 fiscal year and during 2016-2020 period, in areas of high-quality infrastructure construction, competitiveness capacity improvement and human resource training.

The two sides agreed to further boost Japanese investment in Vietnam, strive to effectively implement large-scale projects that two countries' leaders have reached, including Vietnam's north-south expressway project, southern Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant, said Minh, adding that they have discussed measures to develop Vietnam's supporting industry, and promote bilateral trade ties.

Both sides consented to work together to bring two countries' agricultural and fishery products to penetrate each other's market, as well as speed up exports of Vietnamese construction labors to Japan, Minh said at the press briefing.

The Vietnamese FM also urged his Japanese counterpart to facilitate the visa issuance for Vietnamese tourists to Japan to increase people-to-people exchanges between two countries.

After co-charing the committee meeting, Minh and Kishida witnessed the signing ceremony of exchange of notes on Japanese ODA for Vietnam in environment, healthcare and education sectors.

Later on the same day, Kishida paid a courtesy call on Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.

Kishida toured Vietnam on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of Pham Binh Minh. Earlier on Thursday, Kishida met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and held bilateral talks with Minh.

(APD)