In the first 10 months of this year, as many as 342,000 Japanese visitors came to Viet Nam , a year-on-year increase of 9.6 percent. The figure for the whole 2007 is expected to reach 410,000, about 30,000 visitors more than 2006.

In 2008, the two countries celebrate the 35th anniversary of their diplomatic ties with a number of political, economic and cultural activities that are expected to bring many Japanese to Viet Nam .

Tuan said the Vietnamese aviation sector plans to carry 500,000 tourists from Japan to Viet Nam by 2010.

At present, six direct air routes connect four of Japan ’s major cities - Tokyo , Nagoya , Osaka and Fukuoka with Viet Nam ’s Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City - with 35 flights a week