Hanoi, 3 July, 2025 – VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan extended congratulations to Mr. Ito Naoki on his appointment as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam, expressing confidence that his tenure will further strengthen the overall Vietnam–Japan relations, particularly in football cooperation between the two nations.
In a recent meeting held in Hanoi, VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan welcomed Ambassador Ito Naoki to discuss expanding bilateral collaboration in football. The discussions focused on strategic cooperation for the next phase, emphasizing the exchange of experts, training programs, and youth development initiatives.
President Tran Quoc Tuan congratulated Ambassador Ito on his new role and reaffirmed the strong strategic partnership between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Japan Football Association (JFA), which has grown significantly since the signing of the memorandum of understanding in 2018. Since then, the two sides have worked closely in coach training, national team training camps, tournament organization, and youth football development.
The VFF leader noted that Vietnamese national teams regularly travel to Japan for training camps. Most recently, the women’s national team, U20 women’s team, and U17 men’s team have had valuable preparation in Japan. Additionally, 18 Vietnamese coaches are currently attending the Pro License coaching course at Japan’s National Football Center. Japanese experts also play key roles in several Vietnamese clubs and national teams.
Ambassador Ito Naoki expressed his admiration for the potential of Vietnamese football and proposed organizing a friendly match between Kawasaki Frontale and a Vietnamese club to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2, 1945–2025). President Tran Quoc Tuan welcomed the proposal, highlighting that the match would not only serve as a symbolic celebration but also further foster collaboration between Vietnamese and Japanese football clubs.
The meeting reflects the continued efforts of both sides to strengthen football ties and create more opportunities for knowledge exchange, talent development, and strategic growth, reinforcing the close relationship between Vietnam and Japan on and off the pitch.
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