Vietnam, Japan coordinate closely to fight COVID-19: Ambassador

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam (Photo: VNA)

According to the diplomat, since the pandemic outbreak, leaders of the two countries have joined video bilateral and multilateral meetings to come up with solutions for disease prevention.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has held phone talks with his Japanese counterpart Abe Shinzo, while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has spoken with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu.

During these meetings and conversations, the two sides proposed drastic measures to combat the disease and help their citizens overcome difficulties amid the pandemic.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan have coordinated smoothly with Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and Ministry of Health to arrange the repatriation of Japanese citizens in Vietnam and Vietnamese people in Japan.

Vietnam has provided the maximum support for flights to bring Japanese people home and extended visas for Japanese citizens stranded in Vietnam.

Nam highly valued Japan’s policies to support its citizens and foreigners who have been affected by the disease.

Japan has allowed automatic visa extensions for all expired visa holders. Japanese small-and-medium-sized enterprises have been supported to maintain production and business activities, thus recruiting foreign labourers, including those from Vietnam.

The Japanese Government has also provided cash assistance to both its citizens and foreigners.

Regarding medical assistance, Nam highly appreciated the Japanese Government's free treatment for foreign COVID-19 patients in the context of high medical expenses in the country.

Medical support centres have been established across Japan, benefiting foreigners in general and the Vietnamese community in the country in particular, Nam said.

Vietnam and Japan have also partnered in providing medical supplies and manufacturing ventilators, as well as enhanced sharing of information related to the disease.

Along with preventing the pandemic, the two countries have maintained bilateral economic relations, the diplomat said.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan are coordinating to bring Japanese experts and managers back to Vietnam for production and business activities in the Southeast Asian nation./.

VNA