​On the morning of March 23, 2022, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Consulate General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with the Southern Representative Office - Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) held an online seminar with the participation of the Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association in the Southern provinces and cities on preparing for the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (September 21, 1973 – September 21, 2023). Attending the seminar were Mr. Watanabe Nobuhiro - Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City; Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy - Chief of Southern Representative Office - VUFO and leaders of Union of Friendship organizations in Southern provinces and cities. Mr. Nguyen Van Quyet - Chairman and the Standing Committee of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association of Dong Nai province attended and chaired at the bridge point of Dong Nai province.

Mr. Nguyen Van Quyet - Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association of Dong Nai province (in the middle) speaking at the Seminar

The year 2023 will be a memorable year, marking the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam, also a milestone of a new era for Japan and Vietnam. To welcome this meaningful event, Mr. Watanabe Nobuhiro - Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City expects that more activitiess will be planned and held in various parts of Japan and Vietnam in the coming time. At the Seminar, the Consulate General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City wishes to receive the opinions of representatives of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association in Southern provinces and cities and their cooperation for the upcoming events in the coming time.

Speaking at the Seminar, Mr. Nguyen Van Quyet - Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association in Dong Nai province said: “In 2023, the Association will organize activities such as: Festival with theme: "Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of friendship relations between Vietnam and Japan", planned to be held in the third quarter of 2023. The Association will invite Japanese organizations and businesses in Dong Nai province to attend to introduce the results of their activities, operations and their products. The festival organizes cultural and tourist exchange events of the two countries such as: Culinary Arts, Kimono Costume - Ao Dai, Painting, Origami Paper Folding, Music, Calligraphy, Haiku Poetry, .. and registration to receive Japanese ODA cultural aid. There is a plan in the fourth quarter of 2023 that a delegation of the Association's members will travel to Japan for study and long-term connection in culture, education, science and tourism of Dong Nai with the Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University of Science”. At the same time, he expressed his ideas that the Consulate General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City and Japanese businesses would pay more concern and support the Association to successfully carry out activities to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Vietnam in 2023.