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Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam, accompanied by his wife Ngo Phuong Ly, arrived in Tokyo on Sunday, commencing a four-day official trip to Japan invited by the Japanese government.

Throughout the visit, the Vietnamese leader is scheduled to meet Japan’s Emperor and Empress, the Prime Minister, and the heads of both chambers of parliament. He will also engage with top figures from economic bodies and leading companies, participate in and deliver a speech at the Vietnam-Japan Public-Private Forum focused on economic and science-technology collaboration, and tour a high-tech enterprise.

Japanese state representatives welcomed Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly upon their arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo on November 8, 2026. Photo by VNA

The Vietnamese delegation features Politburo members and Central Committee secretaries Nguyen Duy Ngoc, head of the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission, and Le Minh Tri, chair of the Internal Affairs Commission.

Additional Politburo members traveling with the delegation are General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense; General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security; Le Hoai Trung, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Tran Duc Thang, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee; and Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.

Also part of the delegation are Central Committee members Nguyen Hai Ninh, Chief of the Party Central Committee Office; Ngo Van Tuan, Minister of Finance; Le Manh Hung, Minister of Industry and Trade; Vu Hai Quan, Minister of Science and Technology; and Trinh Viet Hung, Minister of Agriculture and Environment.

Members of the Vietnamese community in Japan greeted Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and President To Lam at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo on November 8, 2026. Photo by VNA

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu stated that the visit carries strategic importance across three critical domains.

Initially, the two countries will define a comprehensive strategic direction for their bilateral ties in a new era, with leaders jointly pinpointing long-term collaboration areas across multiple sectors to address shared development goals.

Next, Vietnam and Japan will expand beyond traditional economic, trade, and investment cooperation toward more profound economic integration. This evolution will focus on fostering partnership, joint innovation, and enhancing each nation’s economic independence and resilience.

Third, the visit will catalyze significant progress in science, technology, innovation, and the reconfiguration of development models. Japan contributes advanced technological expertise, financial resources, managerial know-how, and strong manufacturing capabilities, while Vietnam provides a youthful workforce, a vibrant market, substantial growth prospects, and a firm dedication to driving innovation.

Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1973 and elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023. Japan remains Vietnam’s leading provider of official development assistance (ODA), top partner in labor cooperation, third-largest investor, and fourth-largest source of tourists and trading partner. Bilateral trade hit US$43.7 billion in the first nine months of this year, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period last year. Trade volume had reached $51.43 billion by 2025.

The Vietnamese diaspora in Japan totals nearly 700,000, with an increasing share of highly educated and skilled professionals. Around 7,000 Vietnamese IT engineers are currently employed in the country.