Alberto Rubio
“The complex international situation we are experiencing highlights the need for ever greater bilateral cooperation, such as that between Japan and Spain,” said Ambassador Nakamae Takahiro during a reception to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Naruhito.
The ambassador began his speech by stressing that his country “is determined to take the lead in ensuring that the G7 (whose presidency it will hold this year) continues to support Ukraine in the face of what he described as a “deplorable attempt to forcibly and unilaterally alter the status quo, which we consider an outrage that shakes the foundations of the international order”.
He also took the opportunity to show solidarity with the countries affected by the earthquake in southeastern Turkey. “Japan is fully committed to providing the necessary assistance, in cooperation with international organisations, to those affected in Turkey and Syria.”
On the bilateral level, Takahiro stressed that Spain and Japan have “significantly” deepened their relations over the last 35 years, to the point that they are now “strategic partners” whose “fundamental pillar is the close bond between the Imperial Family and the Royal Family”.
As an example – in addition to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s attendance at the NATO Summit in Madrid, during which he met with the head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez – the ambassador reviewed an extensive list of events that will take place throughout this year and which already began in January, with the visit of the Japanese Minister of State to Spain.
“In March, the Spanish-Japanese Committee will meet,” he recapitulated, “in autumn, Salamanca will host the 23rd Spain-Japan Photo and in Seville the ‘Japan Week’ will take place, while with the Government of the Basque Country we will launch the initiative ‘Euskadi-Japan 2023‘ and with the Xunta de Galicia we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the twinning of the Camino de Santiago with the Kumano Kodo Way”.
“All of this,” concluded the ambassador, “is a clear reflection of how we have been deepening our relations at all levels”.
“Japan has a strong and reliable partner in Spain”, he added, “as demonstrated by the fact that there are currently 400 Japanese companies in Spain, which form part of the economic alliance between the two countries”. In this regard, he recalled that both heads of government expressed their desire for companies from both countries to collaborate in renewable energies or in the digital sector, for which they agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, also with a view to third markets”.
Takahiro concluded by stressing the importance of culture and gastronomy in deepening bilateral relations. “The number of Japanese students in Spain is increasing every year, as well as the number of tourists coming to Japan”.
The reception was attended by numerous ambassadors accredited in Madrid, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the secretary general of the Fundación Consejo de España con Asia y Pacífico, Ramón Moreno, and former Spanish ambassadors in Tokyo.
Also present, among others, were the director of the National Intelligence Centre (CNI), Esperanza Casteleiro; the head of the King’s Military Quarters, Air Force Major General Emilio Gracia Cirugeda, and other high-ranking members of the Armed Forces, businessmen, journalists and university professors.
The reception was attended by numerous ambassadors accredited in Madrid, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the secretary general of the Fundación Consejo de España con Asia y Pacífico, Ramón Moreno, and former Spanish ambassadors in Tokyo.
Also present, among others, were the director of the National Intelligence Centre (CNI), Esperanza Casteleiro; the head of the King’s Military Quarters, Air Force Major General Emilio Gracia Cirugeda, and other high-ranking members of the Armed Forces, businessmen, journalists and university professors.
