The PM was joined by Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan and Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance (JVPA), alongside other Vietnamese and Japanese officials.
Vietnam Airlines launched its first flight to Japan connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Osaka in 1994. Since then, the airline has unceasingly expanded its routes and upgraded its fleet, becoming an important air bridge to enhance Vietnam’s investment attraction and socio-economic and cultural development, as well as promoting fine friendly relations between Vietnam and Japan. Throughout the last 25 years, Vietnam Airlines has transported more than 12.5 million passengers to Japan. The carrier currently holds the largest market share of passenger transportation between the two countries, reaching nearly 60%.
Addressing the event, PM Phuc spoke highly of the efforts made by Vietnam Airlines over the past quarter century, stating that Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership has been growing vigorously and superbly, which sees direct contributions by Vietnam Airlines.
In the new chapter of relations between the two countries, it is necessary to accelerate multifaceted cooperation, including aviation cooperation, the leader said, expressing his belief that Vietnam Airlines will strive to modernise its aircraft fleet, improve the quality of its services and further contribute to deepening Vietnam-Japan ties.
Applauding Vietnam Airlines’ efforts, Toshihiro Nikai suggested the two sides should work harder to strengthen people-to-people and parliamentary exchanges, asking Vietnam Airlines to contribute much more to these attempts.
Vietnam welcomed over 800,000 arrivals of Japanese visitors last year and is expected to serve one million in 2020. Vietnam reported an annual growth rate of 125.9% in terms of its tourist arrivals to Japan in 2018, the highest among countries and territories with the most significant percentage hikes in travel to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. In an effort to meet the ever growing demand, Vietnam Airlines is currently exploiting 11 routes between Vietnam and Japan, with an average of nearly 80 flights per week, connecting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang city with Japan’s big cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
In the 2020-2021 period, Vietnam Airlines will continue to put additional wide-body airplanes into use, while researching the increase of flight frequency as well as the launching of new routes between Vietnam and Japan.
Later on the same day, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the launching of Vietjet Air’s two new routes to Japan: Ho Chi Minh City – Tokyo (Narita) and Da Nang – Tokyo (Haneda), which will feature daily return flights from July 12 and October 26, respectively.
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PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (second from left) and delegates perform Japan’s traditional etiquette at the launch ceremony for two new Vietnam-Japan routes of Vietjet Air.
Speaking at the event, the PM congratulated Vietjet on becoming a member of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), stressing that the airline should be responsible for accelerating Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership. The expansion of air routes with new aircraft will contribute actively to enhancing economic development, services, tourism and people-to-people exchange between the two countries, he said.
