Talks between Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Truong Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

July 4, 2007

For about one hour from 12:30 on July 4, Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, had talks over luncheon with Mr. Truong Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, who is now on a visit to Japan to study Japan’s judicial system. The gist is as follows:

After greetings, Mr. Trong explained the necessity of judicial reform for Vietnam’s economic development and integration into the world economy, and the present situation of judicial reform in that country. He thanked Japan for the cooperation of Japan’s organizations concerned which helped him study Japan’s judicial system. He also expressed his gratitude to Japan’s assistance to Vietnam’s development of law and reform of its judicial system over years.

Stating that it is important for Vietnam to improve the investment environment and to confirm laws and systems that guarantee, for example, the protection of intellectual property rights, to increase foreign investment and achieve further economic growth, Mr. Aso said that he would hope for the success of Vietnam’s judicial reform including such aims. He also said that Japan would deepen its relationship with Vietnam in various fields including that of judiciary, with a view to establishing the “strategic partnership” which was agreed upon by the Prime Ministers of the two countries last year as Vietnam is an important country for Japan’s forming the “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity,” Japan’s new foreign policy.

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