[Original] Japan and Vietnam consider new agreement to curb crime to be confirmed at summit meeting on 9th

The Japanese and Vietnamese governments have begun considering a new agreement to mutually report information on each other's citizens arrested and detained in their respective countries. Crimes committed by Vietnamese nationals are increasing in Japan, and the aim is to strengthen deterrence. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam are expected to confirm their intention to conclude the deal at a meeting on the 9th. This was announced by multiple Japanese government officials on the 3rd.

Six men detained locally transferred and arrested on suspicion of fraud based in Vietnam - Kanagawa Prefectural Police

At their meeting in May, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in the consular field. The Vienna Convention, which establishes rules for consular reporting, requires that the consent of a foreign national be obtained when reporting the arrest or detention of a foreign national to his or her country of origin.

In response, the new agreement is considering a mechanism that would allow mutual reporting without the consent of the person concerned. A Japanese government official said, ``Vietnam has a strong public security force, and prompt notification will be a great deterrent.'' Details such as what kind of cases should be reported will be discussed in the future, but since human rights are also involved, it will take at least two to three years.

The background to this consideration is the increase in crimes committed by Vietnamese nationals. According to the National Police Agency, the number of arrests for Vietnamese nationals in 2025, excluding permanent residents, will be 10,773, an increase of about 11% from the previous year. They accounted for over 40% of all foreign visitors to Japan.