At the reception, the two sides exchanged and discussed some contents related to the negotiation on social security and landmine clearance agreements after the war in Vietnam, victims of Agent Orange, projects to enhance professional skills education, EPA program ...

Ambassador Kunio Umeda said that in connection with the Social Security Agreement on this May, Japan expects the two sides to hold early negotiation round on this issue. Tokyo is compromising social security with many countries and very interested in Vietnam.

Related to mine action, explosives and assistance to victims of chemical toxins, according to the Ambassador, since 2002, the Government of Japan has coordinated a number of landmine / UXO cooperation programs in several localities in South Vietnam. Currently, Japan has a survey mission at Bien Hoa Airport (Dong Nai).

"Japan has approved a number of non-governmental organizations supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange / Dioxin. We have provided equipment and machinery for the Vietnam Agent Orange / Dioxin Association and will continue to support them in Ho Chi Minh City. Many organizations and units of Japan have also assisted Vietnamese victims, "said Ambassador Kunio Umeda.

For the Project on Enhancing Professional Education Skills, the Ambassador of Japan said: "The problem of raising labor productivity is the Japanese priority. We believe that with the system of vocational schools, equipment is really important and necessary. Japan expects at the two countries' high-level talks that Vietnam will make formal proposals to Japan and reach agreement on the project. "

In addition, Ambassador Kunio Umeda also looked forward to the attention of the Minister of Labor- Invalids and Social Affairs to Japan's National Vocational College (KOSEN). This organization plans to open a representative office in Vietnam this year and expect Vietnam's support.

For the EPA program (the program of bringing Vietnamese nurses to Japan to work under the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement), the Ambassador highly appreciated the efforts of the Vietnamese side. Also, this year is the first year that Vietnamese nurses got the highest result in the test, up to 97.3% (course I is 81%, course II is 83%). Japan will continue to promote this program in the mass media and look forward to more effective cooperation from MOLISA.

Speaking to the Ambassador, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung expressed his gratitude to him and affirmed that what the Ambassador said were very practical, supported by the Government of Vietnam. Many proposals of the ambassador were received by the Ministry as well as the Government. The Minister also thanked the Ambassador and the Government of Japan for clearing the International Labor Organization (ILO), which helped Vietnam to develop two projects, namely reforming wages and reforming social insurance. These schemes have basically been completed and will be submitted to the competent authority for comments in April 2018.

In the field of social security, the Minister highly appreciated the memorandum of understanding signed by Prime Ministers of the two countries in 2017, which created better opportunities and stronger development of labor - employment and social security. Japanese and Vietnamese unions have relatively good coordination. Many Japanese unions have participated in social security programs, supporting victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Minister emphasized that the Social Security Agreement was discussed by the two sides and came from the requirements of both countries. The minister will try to promote the signing in the next high-level talks. In principle, the Minister supports and the two sides need to negotiate effectively, persistently, trying to find similarities.

The Minister also asked the Ambassador to attend mine clearance projects in Vietnam, especially in Ha Giang province, where about 80,000ha were contaminated with mines.