On March 20th, 2020, in Hanoi, Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) held a Medal awarding Ceremony for Mr. Umeda Kunio – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam and saying goodbye to the Ambassador and his wife, on the occasion of the end of Ambassador’s term in Vietnam.
Attending the meeting were Mrs Nguyen Phuong Nga – the Chairman of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, Mr Nguyen Phu Binh – Vice Chairman of Vietnam – Japan Friendship Association / the former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Japan, Mrs. Ngo Minh Thuy – Vice Chairman of Vietnam – Japan Friendship Association / Chairman of Vietnam Association of Japan Alumni (VAJA).
On behalf of the Union, Chairman Nguyen Phuong Nga presented the Medal of “For peace, friendship among nations” – the most noble reward from the Union – to Mr Ambassador Umeda Kunio. The Chairman expressed her gratitude, acknowledgement and appreciation to Mr Ambassador’s contributions to the development of Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership, contributing to promoting Vietnam-Japan cooperation in all fields, especially the field of people-to-people exchanges. The Chairman also thanked Mr Ambassador for his interest in closely coordinating and supporting the peace and friendship activities organized by the Union and the Association, for supporting and assisting the activities of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association and the Vietnam Association of Japan Alumni.
On behalf of the Vietnam Association of Japan Alumni (VAJA), Chairman Ngo Minh Thuy presented the souvenir of VAJA to Mr Ambassador and his wife and thanked Mr Ambassador and his wife for their affection, interest and support to VAJA.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Ambassador Umeda Kunio expressed his honor to be awarded the noble prize of the Friendship Union, thanked for the warm affection from Vietnamese friends for him. He also highly appreciated the activities of the Union, of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association and of the Vietnam Association of Japan Alumni. The Ambassador affirmed that after returning to his home country, regardless of his position, he will continue to make every effort to contribute to the strengthening and development of friendship and good cooperation between Vietnam and Japan. The Ambassador also highly appreciated the activities of prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic in Vietnam. He inform that there are currently about 370,000 Vietnamese people living, studying and working in Japan, and the number of Japanese people living in Vietnam is about 26,000. He hopes that the epidemic will disappear quickly so that the activities of people in the world in general, in Japan and Vietnam in particular will return to be normal, and earnestly hope that the losses caused by the epidemic will not much affects Vietnamese people living and working in Japan.
Mr Ambassador Umeda Kunio has been the Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam since November 2016. During the past 3 years and 5 months, the Ambassador has made great contributions to the development of Vietnam – Japan cooperation in all fields. He is also very interested in Japanese language education in Vietnam and the activities of students, especially the activities of the Vietnam Association of Japan Alumni. He and his wife often contacted the former international students, attended almost the major activities of the VAJA and are very interested in VAJA’s Executive Committee. Unfortunately, at the end of the Ambassador’s term, the situation of Covid-19 epidemic was becoming complicated, so VAJA and many agencies could not organize the farewell activities and thank him directly. Thank you Mr Ambassador Umeda Kunio and your wife and colleagues for your supporting and assisting VAJA during your tenure in Vietnam. Hanoi, 21 March 2020
To watch video about the Ceremony click here