President Truong Tan Sang yesterday welcomed Chairman of Japan’s Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) Shosuke Mori, who is on a visit to Vietnam to promote bilateral relations. In talking with his guest at a reception held in Hanoi on April 16, President Sang thanked the support given to Vietnam by businesses in the Kansai region in particular and by Japan in general. Sang highly valued the economic relations between the Kansai region and Vietnam’s ministries and localities. He also affirmed that Japan is an important strategic partner in Vietnam’s foreign policy.

The President expressed his hope that Kankeiren will bring forward new areas for bilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual trust and advantages. For his part, the Kankeiren chairman said he hoped that his visit, which was made on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Vietnam, will create a new breakthrough in bilateral economic and trade cooperation ties. Mori also said Kankeiren will coordinate with Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Industry and Trade to provide necessary information for the two countries’ businesses to boost cooperation. It is thanks to the assistance given by the Vietnamese government as well as diplomatic agencies that investment from Kansai businesses now makes up for 20 percent of Japan’s total investment in Vietnam, Mori said. Kankeiren was established in October 1946 as a private, non-profit organization, which has worked to contribute to the sound development of Japan’s economy through conducting studies on important issues facing the Japanese economy. As regards international activities, Kankeiren exchanges views with prominent figures in the political and business circles overseas, sends delegations and fact-finding groups, and conducts management training programs, according to the organization’s website.