(VOVworld) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada on Hanoi on Tuesday. Minh said that Vietnam acknowledged Japan considering Vietnam an important partner in its ODA policy to support the country’s sustainable development. He said that the Vietnamese government is committed to using Japanese ODA effectively.

Concerning the alleged bribery given by Japan Transportation Consultation, Inc. (JTC) to Vietnamese officials to bid for projects using Japanese ODA, Minh said that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had instructed relevant agencies to clarify the matter and cooperate with Japanese agencies to collect related information. Vietnam will resolutely deal with the issue in line with the law if the allegation is true. Deputy Prime Minister Minh asked the Japanese side to cooperate closely and provide necessary information for the investigation. He also proposed that both countries fine-tune mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future so that Japanese ODA projects in Vietnam will be carried out effectively.