Tô Lâm’s Japan Visit Pushes Hà Nội-Tokyo Ties Toward Deeper Strategic Alignment

Tô Lâm,  president of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, concluded a four-day official visit to Japan on Nov. 11, marking another important step in the increasingly close relationship between the two Asian countries. 

The visit, held from Nov. 8 to 11 at the invitation of the Japanese government, brought together political, economic, and institutional representatives from both sides, with discussions focusing on economic security, technological development, energy cooperation, and regional stability.

The most significant outcome was the adoption of a new Japan–Vietnam Joint Vision Statement on Nov. 9, following a summit between Tô Lâm and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo. The document aims to elevate the existing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World, established in November 2023, to a new level.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nov. 9 summit lasted approximately 50 minutes and included discussions on economic security, artificial intelligence, energy resources, and defense cooperation. Both leaders also attended a ceremony for the exchange of bilateral cooperation documents before delivering joint statements to the press.

A New Strategic Vision for Future Cooperation

One of the central priorities emerging from the visit was economic security. Japan is seeking to diversify its supply chains and reduce vulnerabilities in strategically important industries, and Việt Nam is attempting to move toward a more technologically sophisticated economic model. 

The two countries therefore agreed to deepen cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and critical minerals, particularly rare earth elements. These resources are essential for several advanced industries, including electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies.

The joint statement specifically identifies research cooperation and human-resource development in semiconductors as areas requiring further attention. 

For Việt Nam, this topic is particularly relevant to its ambition to become a more important player in the global semiconductor industry. For Japan, closer cooperation with Vietnamese institutions and companies offers opportunities to diversify production networks and develop alternative sources of industrial expertise.

The two governments also welcomed progress in artificial intelligence cooperation, including joint research, infrastructure development, human-resource training, and AI safety. During the summit, Takaichi expressed Japan’s willingness to contribute to Việt Nam’s objective of training 100 doctoral-level specialists in artificial intelligence.

On Nov. 9, the two countries exchanged 11 cooperation documents, covering a broad range of sectors.

Among the most significant were a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy cooperation, an agreement on artificial intelligence research between the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and documents concerning the development of Việt Nam–Japan University. 

The agreements also included cooperation on marine and ocean policy, environmental protection, intellectual property, and the improvement of Việt Nam’s legislative and law-enforcement capabilities.

Another important component was the financing of the O Mon III thermal power plant project, supported by a Japanese loan agreement. The project reflects the importance of energy infrastructure to Việt Nam’s industrial development, particularly as electricity consumption continues to increase.

Japan and Việt Nam also agreed to accelerate the development of liquefied natural gas and gas-fired power projects involving Japanese companies. The Japanese government expressed its willingness to cooperate with Hà Nội on strengthening national energy reserves through the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience, known as POWERR Asia. 

The complete list of agreements is available in the official announcement published by the Vietnamese Government.

Defense Cooperation and the Indo-Pacific Dimension

Japan and Việt Nam share an interest in maintaining regional stability and preserving freedom of navigation and respect for international law. Both governments have repeatedly expressed support for a regional order based on the United Nations Charter and international legal principles. 

During the Nov. 9 summit, Takaichi and Tô Lâm agreed to strengthen defense and security cooperation, including through Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework. In particular, the two leaders agreed to work toward the first provision of equipment and supplies to Việt Nam under this program, marking a new development in bilateral security relations.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional security issues, including developments in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula. For Hà Nội, security cooperation with Japan represents an additional opportunity to strengthen its maritime capabilities while preserving its traditional foreign-policy principles of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization.

Japan, meanwhile, considers Việt Nam an important partner in promoting its updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy. Tô Lâm explicitly expressed Việt Nam’s support for this initiative while also highlighting the importance of cooperation with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

The two countries also agreed to cooperate within the framework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which Việt Nam chairs in 2026, and to support the successful organization of the 2027 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which will also be hosted by Việt Nam.

A Relationship Built Over More Than Five Decades

The current rapprochement reflects a gradual strengthening of bilateral relations that began more than half a century ago. Japan and Việt Nam established diplomatic relations on Sept. 21, 1973. Since then, their relationship has expanded considerably, particularly following the resumption and expansion of Japanese development assistance in the early 1990s.

In 2014, during a visit by Vietnamese President Trương Tấn Sang to Japan, the two governments elevated their relationship to an Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia. 

The next major milestone came in November 2023, when the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. During the visit of Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng to Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the Vietnamese leader agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World.

The relationship has since benefited from frequent high-level exchanges. In April 2025, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited Hà Nội and met Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính. Their discussions reaffirmed Japan’s position as a major economic and development partner for Việt Nam and highlighted the importance of defense cooperation.

Another important step took place in May 2026, when Takaichi made her first bilateral visit to Southeast Asia as Japanese prime minister, choosing Việt Nam as her destination. During her visit, the two governments identified economic security as a new priority and agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, energy, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.

Economic Ties and the Vietnamese Community in Japan

Japan is Việt Nam’s largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), its third-largest foreign investor and one of its most important trading partners. Japanese financial assistance has contributed to several major infrastructure projects, including the Nhật Tân Bridge, Terminal 2 of Nội Bài International Airport, and the urban railway system in Hồ Chí Minh City.

According to figures presented during Tô Lâm’s address to Japan’s National Diet on Nov. 9, bilateral trade exceeded $50 billion in 2025 for the first time, while cumulative Japanese foreign direct investment in Việt Nam surpassed $80 billion.

The importance of these economic relations was also evident during Tô Lâm’s visit to Meiko Electronics on Nov. 11. The Vietnamese leader encouraged the Japanese electronics manufacturer to deepen cooperation with Vietnamese partners in semiconductor technology, research and development, and high-tech manufacturing. He also called for greater integration of Vietnamese companies into international supply chains.

Another important dimension is the growing Vietnamese community in Japan. The joint statement estimates that nearly 700,000 Vietnamese citizens currently live in the country as of the end of June 2026, according to Japan’s Immigration Services Agency, making them one of Japan’s largest foreign communities. 

In his address to the National Diet, Tô Lâm emphasized that the Vietnamese community in Japan represents a significant social foundation for relations between the two countries. He also highlighted the importance of expanding educational exchanges and cooperation between universities.

Political Symbolism and Future Challenges

The diplomatic program also carried considerable symbolic significance. Tô Lâm and his wife, Ngô Phương Ly, were received by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace on Nov. 11, where they attended a luncheon hosted by the imperial couple.

During his stay, Tô Lâm also addressed Japan’s National Diet, becoming another Vietnamese leader to use the Japanese parliament as a platform to outline the future of bilateral relations. He met former Japanese prime ministers Shigeru Ishiba, Fumio Kishida, and Tarō Asō and visited Kanagawa Prefecture.

In his parliamentary speech, Tô Lâm emphasized the importance of historical friendship and mutual trust while calling for a new phase of cooperation based on innovation, industrial development, and shared prosperity. He also recalled Japan’s contribution to Việt Nam’s development through infrastructure investment, education, and technology transfers.

For Japan, the main challenges include strengthening its position in regional supply chains, securing access to critical resources, and expanding economic and security partnerships in Southeast Asia. For Việt Nam, the priorities are attracting higher-quality investment, developing domestic technological capabilities, and improving its industrial competitiveness.

The implementation of the agreements signed in Tokyo will therefore be an important test of the partnership’s effectiveness.

The relationship between Japan and Việt Nam is evolving beyond a traditional donor-recipient and investment partnership. Both governments increasingly see each other as important partners in shaping the economic and strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific. 

The new joint vision provides a framework for this transformation. Whether it will translate into a genuinely deeper strategic alignment will depend on how successfully Tokyo and Hà Nội implement their commitments in the coming years.