Receiving the keepsake of Takano Isao - the brave former student of the Faculty of VNH&TV

Precious love from Japan
On November 18, 2023, the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (Vietnamese Studies and Language - VSL) solemnly held the 55th Anniversary Ceremony of the Faculty and Welcomed Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20, with the participation of generations of leaders, former teachers, lecturers, staff, students, trainees, and alumni of the faculty.
From Japan, the family of former student Takano Isao - a brave and steadfast international journalist; a hero, a passionate friend of the Vietnamese people came to congratulate the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language and presented the family's precious keepsakes.
Takano Isao was a Japanese journalist who died in Lang Son on March 7, 1979 while reporting on the Northern border war. Takano was also a translator of Vietnamese literature and a former student of the Vietnamese Language Department of Hanoi National University (now the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Language, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi).

In early 1979, when the northern border war was raging in Lang Son, journalist Takano Isao of Akahata newspaper (the mouthpiece of the Japanese Communist Party) and his colleagues did not fear danger, risking their lives to bring the hottest war news to readers at home and abroad. He chose to support and defend the justice of the Vietnamese people's war. Unfortunately, while working, he was hit by a sniper bullet from a Chinese soldier and died.
The camera that followed Takano on the front line and was held tightly in the brave soldier's hand before he passed away is a keepsake that his family has cherished and preserved, and today it is respectfully presented to the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language. It is a tribute of affection from a former student to Vietnamese teachers at VSL, a beautiful image demonstrating the friendship between Vietnam and Japan in the atmosphere of celebrating 50 years of national diplomatic relations.
The atmosphere of the 55th anniversary ceremony of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language was filled with precious emotions and proud memories of former student Takano Isao. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh - Takano's teacher, although over 80 years old, still remembers clearly the memories with her Japanese student. The photos that Takano Isao took for her family are still solemnly kept as precious mementos of a beloved child.

 Takano Isao's family took a souvenir photo with former teachers and school leaders, and leaders of the Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language Department.

Through the 55-year history of the Faculty's establishment and 64 years of tradition in teaching Vietnamese, the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language is the common home of generations of international students. Learning Vietnamese is also a part of the youth, passion and motivation for many excellent alumni, including Takano. The classes here have left a mark on Takano's passionate life with the Vietnamese language and people. The image of a brave soldier, an excellent alumni has become the pride of many generations of VSL students.
Previously, in March 2019 and March 2023, the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language solemnly held a memorial service for Takano Isao right at the familiar campus where he studied. The memorial talk for journalist Takano Isao took place warmly with the presence of family representatives; Vietnamese and Japanese journalists who met, accompanied and witnessed the moment of Takano's sacrifice; teachers who taught him Vietnamese at B7Bis - now the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU. Books and songs about soldier Takano Isao were sent by teachers and students of VSL to his family as a respectful tribute, a very deep affection of teachers and students of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language in particular, and the Vietnamese people in general, to the brave son of the land of the rising sun.
Dr. Le Thi Thanh Tam - Head of the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language shared:“The Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language has three honors associated with Takano Isao, a former student of the Faculty. The first honor: training an international student studying Vietnamese to become a war correspondent who devoted himself to the cause of Vietnam. The second honor: having a former student sacrifice himself for his love of Vietnam. The third honor: being trusted by Takano Isao’s own family and relatives and given him a keepsake of his life and death on the battlefield.
The blood-stained camera of Mr. Takano Isao will become a noble symbol of the close relationship between the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language and former international students, between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU (formerly Hanoi National University) and Mr. Takano's family, between the Vietnamese and Japanese people, between Mr. Takano's steadfast love during his lifetime and his wish for peace. The life and career of former student, the late journalist Takano Isao have contributed to deepening the historical value of the address B7bis (Tran Dai Nghia, Bach Khoa), deepening the training tradition of the Faculty, and strengthening the extremely good friendship between Vietnam and Japan in today's context".

The star apple tree that young Takana Isao planted in the campus of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language at B7Bis Tran Dai Nghia is now solemnly marked with the sign “Star apple tree planted by Takano Isao (1943-1979)”. It is a meaningful reminder: teachers and students of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language, University of Social Sciences and Humanities as well as the young generation of Vietnam today will never forget him - journalist Takana Isao - “the son of the majestic snow-white land of Fuji” who has become a part of the history and memories of teachers and students of VSL and of the Vietnamese people.