The four-day event is jointly held by the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Consulate General in Da Nang.

In his opening speech, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh said cooperation between Da Nang and Japanese localities is constantly developing, becoming a bright spot in the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Da Nang has cooperated with 20 localities in Japan, elaborating that it has established friendly and cooperative relations with four cities - Kawasaki, Sakai, Yokohama and Kisarazu.

According to the city leader, Japan has always been one of the leading partners in Da Nang.

There are 222 Japanese enterprises, representative offices and projects in the central city with a total foreign direct investment (FDI) capital of over 1 billion USD, he said, adding that FDI projects have actively contributed to promoting Da Nang's socio-economic development through technology transfer, human resources training, product diversification and competitiveness enhancement.

Minh held that the closeness between the two countries' people has helped foster economic, cultural and social cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

The Vietnam - Japan Festival, which was first held in 2014, has become a significant annual cultural event not only for Da Nang residents but also for Japanese people living and working in the city and tourists.

This year’s festival features 80 booths introducing Vietnamese and Japanese cultures, traditional dishes, and information about education, study, tourism and trade, he said.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio said he hopes through the festival, Vietnamese people can experience Japanese culture and art, enjoy cultural and sports exchanges, as well as feel the similarities between the two countries’ cultures.

These factors have become the foundation for the development of their fruitful relationship, he added./.

VNA