Motegi told Minh that Tokyo sees Vietnam as an important international partner. Vietnam chairs ASEAN meetings this year and is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Minh responded that his country welcomes Japan's taking a leading and active role.

Motegi and Minh also confirmed their governments' commitment to realizing the complete denuclearization of North Korea in light of its repeated ballistic missile launches.

Japan supports and will work closely with Vietnam to help the country successfully undertake the role of the ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020 – 2021 tenure.

Both sides vowed to intensify collaboration across trade, investment, official development assistance, human resources development and climate change response.

They exchanged ideas on regional and global issues of shared concern. As for the East Sea issue, they agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom, complying with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

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