Fukuroi city in Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture, on Sept. 11 hosted an eventto commemorate the 70 th death anniversary of Phan Boi Chau - theinitiator of Vietnam’s Dong Du (Visit the East) Movement, and the 100 thdeath anniversary of Asaba Sakitaro, a local supporter of theVietnamese revolutionaries.

Present at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binhrecalled that a century ago in response to Phan Boi Chau-initiated DongDu movement, hundreds of Vietnamese students went to study in Japan inhope that they could help reform the country at their return.

Thesepioneers met with a lot of difficulties in Japan , however, theygot whole-hearted assistance from Asaba Sakitaro, a medical doctor aswell as people in Fukuroi, the ambassador remembered.

Althoughthe Dong Du movement failed and those students had to go home, whatdoctor Asaba and Fukuroi residents had done for Chau and his followersremain forever in the Vietnamese people’s hearts, the diplomat stressed.

“Overmore than 100 years, the world as well as Vietnam and Japan haveseen many changes. The two countries have become each other’s strategicpartner and their relationship has never been as good as it is now,”Binh said.

He expressed his gratitude to Fukuroi residents forcaring for doctor Asaba’s tomb and the stele in memory of doctor Asabathat Phan Boi Chau erected in the compound of Jorin Umeyama pagodaduring his visit to Japan in 1918.

The diplomat alsoexpressed his hope that Fukuroi will increase its exchange of activitieswith the central city of Hue and other localities in Vietnam .

FukuroiMayor Hideyuki Harada affirmed that by organising this event, his citywants to boost its ties with Vietnam and said he hoped theJapan-Vietnam ties will continue to develop in the coming time.

Duringthe event, the participants heard Professor Shiraishi Masaya from theWaseda University ( Tokyo ) presenting his research on history ofthe Dong Du movement and its supporters in the early 20 th century./.