Workshop “Promoting Japanese Studies in Vietnam”

The conference took place on September 12 and 13, 2008, co-organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Japan Foundation. The conference's guests included Mr. Matsunaga Daisuke - Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Nishizawa Yoshiyuki - Special Assistant to the President of the Japan Foundation, and Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang - Vice President of VNU.

Cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan began quite early in the 8th century. Since the mid-19th century, along with the trend of innovation and modernization of Asian countries, trade and cultural exchange between the two sides have been expanded and developed. Since the two countries officially established diplomatic relations in 1973, Vietnam - Japan relations have had new developments in many fields, becoming strategic partners of each other.

Overview of the opening session

For more than 10 years, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has established a Japanese Studies major at the Faculty of Oriental Studies and has established cooperative relationships with many Japanese universities and research organizations, while also receiving effective support from many Japanese international funds. In that context, this conference continues a series of previous academic cooperation activities, with coordination between the University and Japanese organizations and universities as a move to contribute to the announcement of new research achievements on Japanese Studies in Vietnam, and to discuss and propose solutions to promote Japanese research and training in Vietnam. At the same time, this is also an opportunity for scholars from both countries to exchange and find common research directions for future cooperation plans.

The conference was divided into two sub-committees: “Training and research on Japan in Vietnam” and “Achievements in Japanese studies research” with more than 30 reports presented.