The Diplomat
The Japanese ambassador to Spain, Kenji Hiramatsu, expressed his wish that 2021 would allow the “illusion” to be recovered after an “enormously difficult” 2020 and assured that his country is making “all the necessary efforts” to guarantee security at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, which should have been held last year but were postponed due to the pandemic.
“The year 2020 was an enormously difficult year that affected our daily life, work and society,” said Hiramatsu in a video message broadcast by the Japanese Embassy in Madrid on the occasion of the New Year.
“In this difficult period, our bilateral relations have been strong and in excellent condition”, continued the Ambassador, who joined the mission in November 2019 to replace Masashi Mizukami.
“We have thus been able to maintain assiduous government contacts and several Japanese companies in Spain offered to help in the fight against COVID-19”, recalled Kenji Hiramatsu. “Furthermore, the cultural events organised online by the Embassy have allowed us to witness the growing interest of Spanish citizens in Japan“, he added.
“I hope that this year, which begins today, will be the year in which we overcome this crisis and get our hopes up again”, said the ambassador. “In this sense, Japan is making every effort to ensure that the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, which have been postponed by the COVID-19 for one year, are held with guarantees and security“, Hiramatsu said. “I sincerely hope that in this year 2021 all your wishes will come true and that it will be filled with happiness and prosperity for all”, he concluded.
Last October, Kenji Hiramatsu held a working breakfast with the Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, at which the strategies of the two governments to tackle the COVID-19 were discussed, “including the possibility of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against the pandemic”, according to the Japanese Embassy.
