HA NOI (VNS)— A dramatic series on the life of Vietnamese patriot Phan Boi Chau will be co-produced by Viet Nam Television (VTV) and the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) to air next year during the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Japan.

The series will be based on Chau's life during the period he was in Japan in the early 1900s. The script will have both Vietnamese and Japanese writers, with Vietnamese historical advisors. It will be shot this spring and be aired on both Vietnamese and Japanese television in September.

Phan Boi Chau (1867-1940) was a scholar from the central province of Nghe An and a dominant force in early Vietnamese resistance movements. Devoting himself to his studies, he passed the regional examinations with highest honours in 1905. In the next five years, he travelled around the country making contact with other anti-colonial scholars and seeking out survivors of the loyalty-to-the-king Can Vuong movement with whom he hoped to launch a rebellion against the French.

The following year, he went to Japan to meet with Japanese and Chinese revolutionaries and seek financial support for the Vietnamese cause.

"We hope the drama will help audiences in both Viet Nam and Japan have a deeper understanding of the historic period and the relationship between the two countries," said Viet Nam Television Studio director Do Thanh Hai.

The production in Japan would be milestone for Vietnamese viewers in terms of quality television, Hai promised.

"Chau made great contributions to helping Vietnamese youth at that time study abroad," said TBS president Toshichika Ishihara. "His patriotism has been highly acclaimed by the Japanese politician Inukai Tsuyoshi."

Ishihara and VTV director general Tran Binh Minh have also signed an agreement for the two networks to work together on providing and exchanging news media. The two sides would also co-operate on satellite transmission methods and in sharing broadcasting facilities.

By partnering with the VTV in the rapidly growing Vietnamese market, the TBS aimed to further strengthen its international operations and its position as a content provider in Asia. — VNS