Dr. Nagato Natsume is conducting surgery for a Vietnamese patient (Photo: baoquocte.vn)
According to the Decision, Dr. Nagato Natsume, a Japanese doctor and Chairman of the Japanese Cleft Palate Association, was appointed as Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Nagoya city, with the consular region covering the whole of Aichi prefecture for the 2017-2020 term.
Speaking at the event, Chargé d'Affair Nguyen Truong Son said that the appointment of Dr. Natsume reflected the recognition of the Government and people of Vietnam for his sentiments and tireless efforts for Vietnam. During the past 25 years, he has assisted in conducting more than 4,000 cleft palate surgeries for Vietnamese children and provided loans to poor households with children with disabilities to earn their living.
The Chargé d'Affair believed that, with his high prestige in Japan, Mr. Natsume will be a bridge to promote the relations between Aichi prefecture, Chubu region, and Vietnam, as well as play an important role in protecting Vietnamese citizens in this area. Mr. Truong Son hoped that, in his new role, Dr. Natsume will contribute more effectively to boosting bilateral relations, especially in the fields of culture, education and investment.
For his part, Dr. Natsume affirmed that he would continue his efforts to boost the relations between the two countries. He said that in the coming time he will help Vietnam in the field of health care and pharmaceuticals, so that all Vietnamese people can enjoy the best health care and use safe drugs like Japanese people.
In addition, he pledged to provide strong support to Vietnamese youths coming to Japan, contributing to increasing numbers of Vietnamese students and young laborers coming to Aichi prefecture to live, work or study in a safe environment.
With his tireless efforts, Mr. Natsume has been awarded medals and certificates of merit by the Government and some localities of Vietnam. In particular, in 2016, he was awarded the Second-class Labor Medal by the Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang for his outstanding achievements in supporting Vietnam’s health sector and contributing to developing the Vietnam - Japan friendly relationship./.