On the morning of December 12th, two minesweepers BUNGO and TAKASHIMA including nearly 180 sailors and crew members under the command of Colonel Ikubo Seiji - Commander of the minesweeper unit no. 3 of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force arrived at Tien Sa Port, starting the visit to Da Nang from December 12th to December 15th.
The visit was part of a joint training program with the navies of countries in the Indian Ocean region - part of the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy", aimed at strengthening technical expertise of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as well as coordination with navies of other countries. Da Nang is the seventh point, before that, the two ships had arrived in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bahrain, India, and Malaysia.
* In the afternoon of the same day, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs Mr. Huynh Duc Truong hosted a meeting with the Commanders of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship led by Colonel Ikubo Seiji, Commander of the no. 3 minesweeping fleet. Attending the meeting were representatives of the Region 3 Navy Command, the City Border Guard Command, the City Military Command, the Region 5 Military Command Office, and Foreign Affairs Department - the Ministry of Defense.
At the meeting, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs Mr. Huynh Duc Truong briefly introduced the socio-economic situation of the city and the cooperation between Da Nang and Japanese localities. According to Mr. Huynh Duc Truong, in recent years, the city has been very honored to welcome many ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to visit and exchange activities with the Vietnamese Navy; thereby, confirming Da Nang's position and role in promoting extensive strategic partnerships between Viet Nam and Japan, especially, the defense cooperation between the two countries is increasingly practical and effective.
The Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs affirmed that this visit of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships contributed to strengthening the friendship and mutual trust, in line with the policy of promoting extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia between Viet Nam and Japan. As one of the important gateways adjacent to the East Sea, Mr. Huynh Duc Truong asked the Japanese side to support Da Nang City forces in the fields of search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, and ensuring security and safety at sea.
At the meeting, Colonel Ikubo Seiji said that this visit was part of a training program coordinated with navies of countries in the Indian Ocean region, in order to enhance the qualifications of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and strengthen coordination with navies of other countries.
During their stay in Da Nang, the delegation will meet and exchange with officers of the Region 3 Navy Command, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense of the two countries to organize professional exchange activities in the field of underwater mine and unexploded ordnance disposal (under the capacity building support program of the Ministry of Defense of Japan), and visit some cultural and historical sites in the city.
CONG TAM
