Vietnam and Japan have reached an agreement to enhance their defence cooperation, focusing on strategic areas such as military training, cybersecurity, and defence industry development. This collaboration will also extend to United Nations peacekeeping missions and post-war recovery efforts. The agreement was established during a meeting in Hanoi between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Văn Giang and General Uchikura Hiroaki, Chief of Staff of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces, where they discussed measures to strengthen and implement existing defence agreements more effectively.
General Giang stressed Vietnam’s dedication to improving consultation and dialogue mechanisms, fostering cooperation across military branches, and advancing collaboration in defence technology, military medicine, and cybersecurity. He highlighted that defence relations have grown into a significant component of the broader Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Japan. The Vietnamese minister also acknowledged Japan’s support in areas like personnel training, defence industry development, technology transfer, and post-war recovery initiatives. He emphasized the need for increased scholarship and training opportunities for Vietnamese defence personnel, particularly in science, engineering, and technology fields.
Japan continues to be one of Vietnam’s major economic and strategic partners, with strong ties in trade, investment, development assistance, and labor exchanges. The defence partnership between the two countries has also expanded considerably, backed by consistent policy dialogues and military consultations. General Uchikura expressed Japan’s commitment to bolstering defence ties with Vietnam and endorsed further cooperation in high-level exchanges, military education, cybersecurity, and healthcare services within the armed forces.
Both nations agreed to maintain close coordination to bolster mutual trust, enhance regional stability, and promote long-term strategic collaboration. This reinforced partnership aims to create a more robust and comprehensive framework for defence cooperation, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the region.
