At the reception, Chairman Trong said that the visit by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Upper House Diet Affairs Committee delegation, led by Chairman Yano Tetsuro, will help consolidate and strengthen the fine relationship between the two countries, especially between the Vietnamese National Assembly and Japan's Upper and Lower Houses.

He affirmed that the multi-faceted friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Japan have continuously developed over the past years, especially in economics, trade and culture.

Japan's official development assistance (ODA) increase for Viet Nam represented the mutual cooperation and trust between the two countries, and Japan's practical support for Viet Nam's development and international economic integration, he said.

The NA Chairman affirmed Viet Nam's determination to make use of Japan's ODA, adding that Viet Nam will accelerate the disbursement process and create a more favourable environment for Japanese investors.

The same day, when receiving the delegation, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his pleasure with the good results in the cooperation between Viet Nam and Japan over the past years.

He also said that Viet Nam and Japan will strive to build a multi-lateral, stable and long-term relationship for the interests of people of the two countries and the region.

In the economic sector, Japan is now one of Viet Nam's great partners and the largest official development assistance (ODA) donor for the country. Many Japanese businesses have operated successfully in Viet Nam.

Chairman Yano Tetsuro spoke highly of Viet Nam's use of ODA funding. He stressed his delight that many Japanese ODA projects have yielded fruitful results in Viet nam and that Japan's ODA funding has made a great contribution to Viet Nam's socio-economic development.

He expressed his belief that the relationship and cooperative programmes between the two countries will be continuously expanded and developed in the coming future./.