Japan's top military officer holds talks with Vietnamese PM

HANOI (AFP) Jul 11, 2003
The head of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces has met with top Vietnamese leaders for talks on closer bilateral cooperation, the Japanese embassy here said Friday.

Admiral Toru Ishikawa, chairman of the joint staff council, held separate meetings with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and Defence Minister Pham Van Tra on Thursday.

On Friday he visited Vietnam's world heritage site of Halong Bay. Japan's top military officer is due to return home on Saturday.

Ishikawa arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday and met with his Vietnamese counterpart Lieutenant General Phung Quang Thanh, deputy defence minister and chief of staff of the Vietnamese army.

Japan is Vietnam's top aid donor and is the third largest investor in the communist-ruled country.

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