Visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at their bilateral talks in Tokyo on Oct. 19 that Japan is Viet Nam's number one partner both in development assistance and in trade and investment.

Prime Minister Dung said Japanese cooperation and assistance were very effective and made great contributions to Viet Nam's economic achievements over recent years.

He proposed that the two sides continue holding regular dialogues between their leaders in different forms in order to strategically guide bilateral cooperation.

He also called upon the Japanese side to set up a Viet Nam-Japan cooperation committee soon at ministerial level and increase its official development assistance (ODA) to Viet Nam.

Prime Minister Abe affirmed that Japan and Viet Nam look forward to a strategic partnership for the sake of peace and stability in Asia, and the world as a whole.

He said Japan would continue to support Viet Nam in its economic reform, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, and will encourage Japanese companies to invest in the country.

He proposed that the two countries will soon establish a Japan-Viet Nam cultural exchange forum and expressed his support for the prompt implementation of infrastructure projects in Viet Nam.

As for current situation in the Korean Peninsula, the two leaders expressed their objections to the nuclear test and urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) not to make further complications and to return immediately to the six-party talks.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister affirmed Viet Nam's support for Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, while the Japanese Prime Minister expressed Japan's support for Viet Nam to become a non-permanent council member.
The two prime ministers also agreed to boost cultural, educational and tourism cooperation.

The two sides signed the "Japan-Viet Nam Joint Statement Toward a Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia" after the talks.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a banquet in honour of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on the evening of Oct. 19.(VNA)