Takaichi and Vietnam's Prime Minister Hung hold a summit meeting, discussing bilateral relations and issuing a list of priority cooperation items on economic se

Takaichi and Vietnam's Prime Minister Hung hold a summit meeting, discussing bilateral relations and issuing a list of priority cooperation items on economic security.

[Japan-Viet Nam Summit Meeting between Prime Minister TAKAICHI and Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng (Summary)] On May 2, commencing at 10:40 a.m. local time (12:40 p.m. Japan time) for approximately 50 minutes, Ms. TAKAICHI Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan, who is visiting Viet Nam, held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Lê Minh Hưng, Prime Minister of Viet Nam, at the Prime Minister’s Office (small-group meeting: approximately 20 minutes; expanded meeting: approximately 30 minutes). Prior to the meeting, a welcome ceremony hosted by Prime Minister Hung was held. Following the meeting, the two leaders attended a document exchange ceremony and a joint press announcement, and issued a list of priority cooperation items on economic security. At the outset, Prime Minister Hung welcomed Prime Minister TAKAICHI’s visit to Viet Nam and expressed his pleasure that Japan–Vietnam relations have been developing across various fields. He stated his intention to work closely with Prime Minister TAKAICHI to further develop bilateral relations and to address regional and international issues under the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” In response, Prime Minister TAKAICHI extended her congratulations on Prime Minister Hung’s appointment and the inauguration of Viet Nam’s new leadership. She emphasized the importance of cooperation to enhance each country’s autonomy and resilience amid an increasingly severe international environment, and stated that Japan attaches great importance to its relations with Viet Nam, which pursues a foreign policy of “strategic autonomy” and “international integration.” She also expressed her intention to further strengthen the Japan-Vietnam“Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and to work together toward the realization and updates of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” to make the region stronger and more prosperous. The two leaders shared the recognition that it is important to enhance the autonomy and resilience of both countries amid an increasingly severe international environment and concurred on advancing cooperation in economic security including energy, critical minerals, AI, semiconductors, and space as new priority areas for Japan-Vietnam cooperation. (a) On energy, the two leaders reaffirmed their intention to deepen various cooperation under the “POWERR Asia” (Asia Energy and Resource Supply Chain Resilience Partnership), which was launched in Asia Zero-Emission Community (AZEC) Plus online Summit. They concurred on proceeding with support through NEXI for crude oil procurement for Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical Complex as the first project of POWERR Asia, in order to maintain production and supply chains of important materials. (b) On critical minerals, the two leaders concurred on cooperating toward strengthening supply chains including rare earth in Viet Nam. (c) On AI, the two leaders welcomed the memorandum of cooperation between Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and concurred on cooperating toward the