Having studied Ho Chi Minh's ideology for decades, Prof. Furuta Motoo has always studied leadership style. (Photo: VOV)

That is the comment of Prof. Furuta Motoo, Principal of Vietnam Japan University, about President Ho Chi Minh. During nearly half a century of researching Vietnamese history, this Japanese historian has spent a lot of time researching Ho Chi Minh's ideology and studying his leadership style of listening to other people's opinions.

Since he was a university student, Mr. Furuta Motoo, like many young people around the world, has been interested in the resistance war for national independence of the Vietnamese people. In 1972, he began learning Vietnamese from a teacher who was a Vietnamese student studying abroad in Japan.

“In 1974, I had the opportunity to join a tour group organized by the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association to visit Northern Vietnam. Knowing this, my Vietnamese teacher advised me to memorize President Ho Chi Minh's Testament. Thanks to this advice, after nearly half a century, I still remember his Will," Mr. Furuta Motoo recalled.

The professor believes that to understand Vietnam, it is necessary to learn about President Ho Chi Minh for two reasons. First of all, President Ho Chi Minh is the most important historical figure in Vietnamese history of the twentieth century. If you want to understand Vietnam in the 20th century, you must learn about President Ho Chi Minh. Second, President Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style are imbued with the identity of the Vietnamese people. "What I remember most is his famous sentence "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom". This saying is very simple and easy to understand, but symbolizes the spirit of the Vietnamese people's struggle for national liberation. At the same time, I think this sentence succinctly summarizes Ho Chi Minh's ideology," the professor shared.

With that opportunity, he decided to choose Vietnamese studies as his specialty, obtained a Master's degree (in 1976) and defended his PhD thesis (in 1989). Then he returned to Vietnam many times to participate in scientific conferences organized by the Vietnam National University and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Currently, Prof. Furuta Motoo is the Chairman of the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Association.

To contribute to promoting Ho Chi Minh's ideology, he wrote a book about President Ho Chi Minh's biography and ideology in Japan titled "Ho Chi Minh - National Liberation and Innovation”. His book attracted attention among Japanese researchers.

In addition, as Chairman of the Japan Vietnam Friendship Association, he also regularly organizes seminars introducing Ho Chi Minh's life and thoughts on the occasion of his birthday or the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

According to Prof. Furuta Motoo, if you want to understand Vietnam today, you must understand Ho Chi Minh's ideology. Therefore, in conversations with students, he always analyzes new points and modernity of Ho Chi Minh's thought. He hopes that young people will not only be good at science and technology, but also understand the depth, humanity, and modernity of Ho Chi Minh's thought.

Prof. Furuta Motoo is really impressed that in Vietnam, every cadre, Party member and citizen not only studies but also follows Uncle Ho with specific and practical actions every day. Therefore, after accepting the position of Principal of Vietnam-Japan University – the Vietnam National University - Hanoi since 2016, he has always tried to follow Uncle Ho's leadership style - leading by persuasion and agreement instead of imposing personnel will.

Prof. Furuta Motoo is currently the President of the Association of Japanese Studies in Vietnam, received the State Award for Science and Technology, and is the first foreigner to be the president of a member university of the Vietnam National University – Hanoi. Stemming from his love for Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, despite his busy work, the professor still often has talks with scientists about the ideological values and style of President Ho Chi Minh./.

Compiled by BTA