The Japanese retail group AEON planted 500 more cherry blossom trees at the Hoa Binh Park in Hanoi on March 10 as part of the activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.
The event, which was attended by Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda and Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung, was held by the AEON Environmental Foundation in response to a project planting one million green trees in the capital city.
Ambassador Kunio Umeda said the planting of cherry blossom trees in Hanoi is also meant to contribute to environmental protection.
He hoped the trees will grow well, making Hoa Binh Park an ideal place for Hanoians to relax and enjoy cherry blossoms.
Chairman of the AEON Environmental Foundation Takuya Okada said since 2014, the foundation has grown nearly 100,000 trees in Hanoi and the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.
He added that the foundation has planted 200 cherry blossom trees at Hoa Binh Park last year.
The trees were selected from the variety from Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture, which has similar climate to Hanoi, he said, noting his hope that they are growing well and expected to blossom in the future.
Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said the cherry blossom trees that he planted at Hoa Binh Park one year ago are developing well, symbolising the continuous development of the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan as well as between Hanoi and AEON Group.
He hoped the event will help raise public awareness of environmental protection.
More than 200 Vietnamese and Japanese volunteers joined hands to plant the cherry trees.-VNA