(VOV) - Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc praised Japan’s provision of official development assistance at the highest level in its 2011 fiscal year. The Vietnamese leader made the remark during talks yesterday with Japanese Prime Minister  Yoshihiko Noda in Tokyo, vowing that Vietnam will use the aid effectively. Noda and Phuc agreed that both countries will work closely to implement high-level agreements and efficiently and successfully organise Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year 2013 to mark the 40^th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Prime Minister Noda said Japan will continue to support Vietnam’s development through the provision of ODA. He also voiced his support for Vietnam’s stance on settling East Sea disputes peacefully on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The same day, Phuc visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and met with representatives of overseas Vietnamese there.
On Monday, Deputy PM Phuc visited the head office of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and attended a high-level discussion on Vietnam-Japan judicial and legal reforms. At the reception for Phuc, JICA Vice President Hideaki Domichi said bilateral cooperation in legislature and jurisdiction play an important role and that high-profile Japanese experts will exchange related experiences with Vietnam.  Meanwhile, Deputy PM Phuc urged Japan to maintain its ODA for Vietnam.