Arab News Japan

DUBAI: The Consul-General of Japan in Dubai, SEKIGUCHI Noboru, hosted the Japan National Day reception on Feb. 21 to celebrate the 62^nd birthday of Emperor Naruhito.

At the event, guests were offered wagyu and sushi, made using fresh ingredients imported from Japan. Emirati-Japanese drumming group Kharsha also performed at the reception.

The Consul-General gave a speech highlighting the relationship between Japan and the UAE, where he outlined how there is a “history of cordial relationships between the Imperial family of Japan and the royal families of the UAE, which creates the basis of friendships between our two nations.”

Consul-General Sekiguchi also shared how he feels “Japan and UAE are linked by fate through the Expos” referencing Abu Dhabi’s participation in the 1970s Expo hosted in Osaka, and the transferral of Expo-host from the UAE to Osaka at the end of March this year.

“Japan and the UAE have broadened the scope of cooperation in various fields for the past 50 years,” indicating how the launch of the HOPE probe from Tanegashima in Japan “gave us “hope”, as it is rightly named, for the future of the bilateral cooperation between our two nations,” he said.

As the Consul-General of Japan, he aims to achieve various goals to enhance relations including increasing “opportunities of exchanges among enterprises and companies of Japan and the UAE.”

The Consul-General of Japan also hopes to encourage exchanges between younger generations of both nations to ensure future cooperation between the UAE and Japan.

He also feels it is important to promote Japanese cultural “charms” like food to people in the UAE and encourage travel to Japan.