Nada Hameed

JEDDAH: Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, the governor of Jeddah, attended a reception at the residence of the consul general of Japan in Jeddah on Thursday to celebrate Japan’s National Day, ahead of the birthday of the Emperor of Japan on Feb. 23.

The reception was also attended by several princesses, as well as MORINO Yasunari, Japan’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Consul General YAMAMOTO Daisuke.

Yamamoto told Arab News: “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to everyone attending this event.

“This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia, a significant milestone in our bilateral ties.

“It is truly an honor to welcome His Highness Prince Saud, governor of Jeddah, to this special occasion.”

He added: “Throughout the year, we plan to host a series of cultural and business events to celebrate this important anniversary. I encourage the people of Jeddah to participate and experience the rich cultural exchange between our two nations.”

Recognizing February as a significant month for both countries, with Saudi Founding Day approaching on Feb. 22, he went on to say: “We also extend our congratulations on the upcoming Saudi Founding Day and wish continued prosperity to both Saudi Arabia and Japan. May our friendship and cooperation grow even stronger in the years ahead.”

Among the guests were Farid bin Saad Al-Shehri, director general of the Makkah region branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officials from government and non-government entities, several consuls general and honorary consuls accredited in Jeddah, prominent businessmen, and other notable attendees.

The event commenced with the national anthems of Japan and Saudi Arabia, followed by a ceremonial cake-cutting led by the consul general alongside several consuls.

In his speech, Yamamoto highlighted that over the decades since diplomatic ties between the two countries were formalized on June 7, 1955, the two nations have shared a long history of friendly and cooperative relations built on mutual respect and common interests. In recent years, these ties have strengthened across various fields.

He emphasized the consulate’s efforts to enhance cultural ties between Japan and Saudi Arabia, aligning with the cultural goals of Saudi Vision 2030 through the joint initiative Saudi-Japanese Vision 2030.

As part of these efforts, the consulate hosted the Hayy Matsuri festival for the second time in January in collaboration with Art Jameel.

Additionally, in partnership with the Jeddah Historical Development Project, the consulate will organize the non-profit Manga Hokusai Manga exhibition at Bait Amir Al-Bahr in historic Jeddah from Feb. 16 to March 8, inviting attendees — especially manga enthusiasts — to explore the exhibits.

The consul general also highlighted Japan’s potential contributions to Saudi Arabia’s transformative projects.

He said: “We aspire to see more Japanese companies involved in infrastructure and other key projects in the Kingdom, which is set to host Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup across multiple cities, including Jeddah, in 2034.”

The reception concluded with traditional Japanese dishes, including sushi, tempura, yakitori, and other specialties prepared by the consul general’s chef.