“It is my great pleasure to address you on the occasion of the National Day of Japan, as 23 February is the 62nd birthday of His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito. His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito is the 126th Emperor of Japan and the history of imperial family has lasted more than 2700 years,” ambassador Ito started his speech.
“His Majesty the Emperor acceded to the throne on 1 May 2019 and the era named Reiwa replaced Heisei. The enthronement ceremony of His Majesty was held in October 2019, which was attended by H.E. Mr. Željko Komšić, the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, among other foreign dignitaries,” he added.
According to the Constitution of Japan, the Emperor is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of people with whom he resides the sovereign power.
Last year marked the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Japan and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a great opportunity for both countries to look back on ourpast cooperation, history and friendship, and to reconfirm our determination to consolidate ourfriendly relations.
The highlight of the anniversary year was the official visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu in last May. Throughout the visit, our diplomatic relations became further consolidated and many newcooperation projects have been agreed.
“This year the Government of Japan furthercontinues to expand its efforts in economic and business relations, to provide more cooperation projects, JICA technical assistance and GrantAssistance for Grass-Roots Human SecurityProjects, contributing to social and economic stability and development of BiH. Educational and cultural exchanges are also expected to be enhanced this year. In this regard, I am delighted to see that many students continue tolearn Japanese politics, history and language at the University of Sarajevo” the ambassador added.
During Olympic and Paralympic Games last year,qualified BiH athletes made a great achievement and I am confident that our consolidated cooperation in the field of sports will develop furthermore between our two governments in this year.
“Last but not least, as the Ambassador of Japan to BiH, I would hereby like to convey again our most sincere gratitude to the people and theauthorities of BiH for their kind and valuable support,” ambassador Ito concluded.
