Rector of Vietnam Japan University: “Vietnamese friends are my treasure”

Reporter: Could you please share a little about the official visit of Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess to Vietnam from September 20 to 26, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: Vietnam and Japan officially established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1973. Over the past five decades, the framework of bilateral relations has upgraded from "reliable, stable and long-term partnership” in 2002 to "towards a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" in 2006, and "strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" in 2009, and "extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" in 2014.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh became the first foreign leader to be invited by the new Japanese government for an official visit on November 2021. On this occasion, the leaders of the two countries agreed to open a new phase for the extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia between the two sides. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio emphasized that the relationship had entered a new stage of development in the spirit of "Sentiment, sincerity, trust, substance, effectiveness".

The visit of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess of Japan on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan is a strong affirmation of the tradition of cooperation, sincerity, and mutual trust. The visit also contributes to consolidating and developing the bilateral relations, for the benefit of the two peoples, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

I would like to highlight the good relations between the two countries over the past 5 decades and hope the two countries would strengthen cooperation in the years to come. The Royal Family is a symbol of culture and history. The fact that Crown Prince Akishino and the Crown Princess visit Vietnam on behalf of the Royal Family on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations proves that the Japanese people attach great importance to Vietnam. Crown Prince Akishino also noted the importance of the relations with Vietnam at the meeting with officials, teachers and students of Vietnam Japan University on September 22.

Reporter: Could you share about the importance of the visit?

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: Over the past 5 decades, the multifaceted cooperation between Japan and Vietnam has been increasingly sustainable. In my opinion, we learn from each other.

The outstanding feature of the Vietnam-Japan relationship is mutual trust, from the country's leaders to the people. Honesty is the foundation of trust. Vietnam has confidence in Japan and Japan also has great trust in Vietnam. When the earthquake and tsunami disaster occurred in Japan in 2011, all provinces and cities in Vietnam raised movements to support the Japanese people. The Japanese people were touched by the sentiments of the Vietnamese people.

Out two countries had “stood side by side” during the COVID-19. Some 500,000 Vietnamese people live in Japan and the number still increases rapidly. Many of them had faced difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 16 local branches of the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Association had held various activities to help Vietnamese people living and working in Japan.

Japanese businesses were lacking supplies and raw materials and were forced to stop operations when Japanese businesses' factories in Vietnam halted operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which showed our mutual reliance. Vietnam and Vietnamese people have a huge role to play in Japan's socio-economic activities.

Reporter: What is your opinion on the two countries’ cooperation in training of high-quality human resources?

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: The Vietnamese people have been known for being eager to learn and the Vietnamese Government always affirms that education is a top national policy. Currently, Vietnam is facing new challenges to avoid the “middle income trap” and training high-quality human resources to serve socio-economic development for the goal of sustainable development becomes an urgent requirement.

Having held the position of Principal of Vietnam Japan University for 7 years, I have found that Vietnamese students in general are excellent and active. They even possess some skills such as acquiring and processing data using information technology that are superior to Japanese students.

Vietnamese youth, however, have two main shortcomings. First, Vietnamese students acquire theoretical expertise very well but rarely expand their perspective. Secondly, the Japanese people believe that it is important for researchers to work together with workers and farmers at the production site to solve problems that arise. I see that Vietnamese young people like to absorb advanced technology but do not care much about the problems that occur at the production site where old technology still exists. This means they are more passionate about theory than practice.

Vietnam Japan University is among members of Hanoi National University, established through cooperation between Japan and Vietnam, so I want to bring some new elements to higher education in Vietnam. From my experience as Principal of the University of Tokyo's General College, I built Vietnam-Japan University on the basis of liberal education.

When Vietnam Japan University opened in 2016, there were only two universities in Vietnam that publicly stated their philosophy of liberal education. Nowadays, the number of universities pursuing liberal education gradually increased. Liberal education is no longer a strange slogan in the field of higher education in Vietnam.

We at Vietnam Japan University initially only trained masters and have just had an undergraduate training program since 2020 with 6 different majors. We aim to become a leading prestigious research university in Asia by 2030 in the field of advanced engineering technology and interdisciplinary science serving sustainable development on the basis of promoting the strengths of Vietnam and Japan. We encourage students to go to Japan to continue their studies or seek jobs. Additionally, the university also hopes that, after studying and working in Japan, many of the students will return to Vietnam and use their experiences to contribute to the development of the country.

Reporter: What are the strengths and shortcomings of the Vietnamese students?

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: I researched modern Vietnamese history, and I am a Japanese of the "Vietnam War generation". In 1970, when I entered Tokyo University, the Vietnam War was at its fiercest period. The Japanese press at that time reported a lot about Vietnam. I thought that Vietnam was the center of the world and if I could understand Vietnam, I would understand the rest of the world easily. Therefore, I chose Vietnam as a research topic. Two years later, I started learning Vietnamese from a teacher who was a Vietnamese student studying abroad in Japan.

As I learned about Vietnam, I clearly saw that President Ho Chi Minh is one of the few outstanding and perfect heroes of Asia as well as the world and the most important historical figure in Vietnamese history in the twentieth century. His vision was broad and influential not only during his lifetime but also after he was gone. In my opinion, Ho Chi Minh's ideology is the factor that gave birth to the Doi Moi policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam. President Ho Chi Minh always sought a path to socialism suitable to the circumstances, history and culture of Vietnam. Doi Moi is a major reform to find a socialist model suitable for Vietnam.

Through the research process, I saw that Ho Chi Minh's ideology has two major characteristics. One is to value national identity. Second is to find a path to international integration. These are also two important elements of the Doi Moi policy in Vietnam. In implementing the Doi Moi process, studying Ho Chi Minh's ideology is of great significance.

Reporter: Is that the reason you publish the book “Ho Chi Minh – Giai phong dan toc va Doi moi”?

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: In 1974, I had the opportunity to join a group organized by the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association to visit Northern region of Vietnam. My Vietnamese teacher advised me to memorize President Ho Chi Minh's Testament, which I still remember after half a century.

In 1996, with the help of Tokyo University Publishing House, I published a book called "Ho Chi Minh – Giai phong dan toc va Doi moi". The book drew the attention of Japanese researchers because I asserted that to understand Vietnam, it is necessary to learn about President Ho Chi Minh. A year later, the book was released by the Vietnam’s Truth National Political Publishing House. The publishing house again helped me introduce the book "Vietnam in world history".

After nearly 40 years of renovation in Vietnam, I always assert: "If you want to understand Vietnam today, you must understand Ho Chi Minh's thoughts". Whenever I talk with students, I always analyze the new points and modernity of Ho Chi Minh's thoughts. I want them to have a broader perspective, wants to show them that they are not only good at science, engineering, and technology but also need to understand the depth, humanity, and modernity of Ho Chi Minh's thoughts.

Reporter: How about your recent research activities?

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: I have been to many countries, including the US, France, China as well as some Southeast Asian countries. However, I chose Vietnamese Studies. Japanese people who wanted to study Vietnam had to travel to France or the US in the past, but I was fortunate to study in Vietnam and have close relationships with Vietnamese social scientists. Thanks to the guidance of many Vietnamese professors, plus my experience in studying, teaching and researching in Vietnam, I completed my doctoral thesis on the national policies and guidelines of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1990.

I was fortunate to have an early connection with Hanoi’s general university, the predecessor of today's University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University. The university started to send Vietnamese teachers to Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 1974. Nguyen Cao Dam was the first teacher from Hanoi, who taught me in 3 years although I was not a student at a foreign language school. I also learned a lot about Vietnamese history and society from professors such as Professors Phan Huy Le, Tran Quoc Vuong, Nguyen Van Dao...

Reporter: Could you share about your time living in Vietnam?

Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo: Since my appointment, I spend 8 months in Hanoi and 4 months working in Japan every year.

I have witnessed the entire great transformation of Vietnam over the past nearly 50 years and Hanoi is the place that holds the most beautiful memories of my life. 3 years after my first visit to Vietnam, in 1977, I returned to Hanoi as a Japanese language teacher at Foreign Trade University. In March 1980, I got married and a month later I returned to Vietnam to continue teaching Japanese. My wife went to Vietnam with me and stayed for a month. We love the diversity of Vietnamese culture and are attached and familiar with Vietnamese dishes such as pho, bun cha... I can also make fried spring rolls and Vietnamese-style meat and sour soup or fish sour soup.

I always call Vietnam my "first love", which has lasted more than 50 years and will last forever.

I've known about Vietnam since 1970, but it wasn't until 1974 that I first went to Vietnam. Since then, the capital city of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general have changed a lot, but the personalities and sentiments of Vietnamese people remained the same. They are still optimistic and love their life, hardworking, flexible but durable, flexible like bamboo. I love that quality of Vietnamese people.

I am lucky to have Vietnamese teachers and Vietnamese friends who trust me. Vietnam is my first love and lifelong lover. My most valuable asset is my Vietnamese friends.

Thank you very much, professor!