A Vietnam-Japan friendship association in Chukyo, Japan, presented 500 cherry trees to Hanoi on February 11.

The Vice Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee, Tran Xuan Viet, highlighted the significance of the gift, saying that it will help promote the two countries’ friendship and mutual understanding.

He affirmed that over the past 40 years, since Vietnam and Japan established their diplomatic ties, bilateral cooperation has been nurtured in various fields, especially economics, culture, investment, trade, and education and training.

Nishino Atsunori, Second Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, said that cherry blossoms are the national flower and the symbol of Japan. These donated trees will be planted at Hoa Binh (Peace) Park in Hanoi to help local people understand more about Japan, she added.