Vice President Nguyen Thi Lan Anh Receives Director-General of the International Legal Affairs Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On 14 July 2026, the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam (DAV) welcomed a delegation from the International Legal Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, led by Mr. Kazuhiko Nakamura, Director-General of the International Legal Affairs Bureau and Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, during his working visit to Viet Nam. The meeting was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vice President of the Academy.

The Japanese delegation also included Mr. Jun Hasebe, Director of the International Law Division, Ms. Asako Nakayama, Deputy Director of the International Law Division, International Legal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, as well as Mr. Fujinuma Atsuyuki, Counsellor, and Ms. Saeki Hiromu, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam. Representing DAV were officials from the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, the East Sea Institute, and the Division of External Relations and Communications.

On this occasion, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Kazuhiko Nakamura extended his sincere congratulations to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh on her recent election as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026–2035 term, marking the first time that Viet Nam has secured representation on the Tribunal since it commenced its work in 1996. Mr. Nakamura noted that this achievement reflects the confidence and trust of the international community in both Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh and Viet Nam, while opening a new chapter for the country to continue contributing to the promotion of the rule of international law, particularly in the field of the law of the sea.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh expressed her sincere appreciation for the congratulations and the valuable support extended by Japan throughout her election campaign. She affirmed that, in her new capacity, she would continue to contribute to the progressive development of the international law of the sea and work together with the international community to uphold the international legal order governing the oceans, particularly through the effective implementation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The two sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest relating to international law, including the evolving role and future development of ITLOS in light of the growing number of cases and the emergence of new legal procedures; challenges to the implementation of international law; the practice of compulsory conciliation in the settlement of maritime disputes; developments in the East Sea and the East China Sea; and joint efforts to maintain peace, stability, freedom of navigation, and freedom of overflight in the region. They also further discussed the role of States in advancing global rulemaking and strengthening the rules-based international legal order grounded in the rule of law.

The meeting took place in a warm and cordial atmosphere, reflecting the long-standing and close cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It also contributed to enhancing mutual understanding on issues relating to international law and maritime security, while reaffirming both sides' shared commitment to upholding a rules-based international order./.