Vietnam's Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Wednesday extended their congratulations to Yoshihide Suga on being elected as the new prime minister of Japan.
The Japanese parliament had voted Suga, 71, prime minister earlier the same day.
He took over from Shinzo Abe, who announced his resignation over health issues on August 28 after nearly eight years in office.
“Suga served under [Abe] in the pivotal post of chief cabinet secretary, acting as top government spokesman and coordinating policies,” Reuters reported.
“Vietnam congratulates Yoshihide Suga on being voted the new prime minister of Japan,” Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters at a regular press briefing in Hanoi on Wednesday.
Vietnam always values its friendly and cooperative relations with Japan while standing ready to closely cooperate with Suga and his new government in taking the relations to a new height for the interests of both countries and for peace, stability, and growth in the region as well as the world, Hang added.
Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is also the country's foreign minister, sent a message the same day to Toshimitsu Motegi, congratulating him on being re-appointed as Japan’s foreign minister.
In Suga’s new cabinet announced on Wednesday, Abe’s younger brother Nobuo Kishi was named the defense chief in place of Taro Kono.
Kono takes charge of administrative reform, which he has done before, Reuters reported.
“About half of the new cabinet are carryovers from Abe’s administration,” the British news agency said.
“Only two are women and the average age, including Suga, is 60.”
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!