I think that Japan and Vietnam are similar to each other. Both countries are located in the both borders of China. Vietnam is in the west end and Japan is in the east end. Historically speaking, both countries have been greatly influenced by China. I reinforced this idea when I visited the Confucius's Mausoleum (Van Mieu) on this time. Surprisingly, it was the same as the Confucius's Mausoleum of Yushima, which is near my house in Tokyo. Even so, Vietnam of contemporary history is frightful. Vietnam had engaged in two big wars both to France and to the United States. Vietnam had won paying a big sacrifice. If Japan would be located not in east but in west or if Japan would had not experienced the Meiji Restoration, Japan might trace the same history as Vietnam has traced. In that sense, I greatly sympathized this country. Vietnamese are very industrial and smart in nature, but quite poor at this moment. I hope Vietnam would become a rich country through reinforcing education and industries.





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