Speaking at the opening ceremony, former Japanese Senator Iowa Matsuda, co-head of the festival’s organising board praised the assistance from the Vietnamese Government and people to Japanese victims of the March 11 twin disasters.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh, co-head of the festival’s organising board, said the annual Vietnam Festival in Japan aims at boosting the linkage between the two countries’ people and introducing the traditional culture of Vietnam to Japan , so that Japanese people understand more about Vietnam and visit the Southeast Asian country in greater number.

On this occasion, the organising board will launch a campaign on voting for Ha Long Bay of Vietnam as one of the world’s new natural wonder.

The organsing board dedicated one booth to sell products made in the areas seriously hit by the disasters such as Asahi city of Chiba prefecture and Fukushima prefecture in northeastern Japan .

In furtherance of the festival, there will be a fund-raising campaign for Japanese disaster victims.