TOKYO—Emperor Akihito will visit Vietnam in late February, Japan said Friday, a trip aimed at cementing ties with a nation that Tokyo sees as part of a regional bulwark against China’s territorial ambitions.

The 83-year-old emperor’s visit to Vietnam, scheduled to take place from Feb. 28 to March 5, follows on the heels of a stop in Hanoi on Monday by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The...