2020 New Year Greetings from Ambassador Yamada
Ambassador's greeting
2020 New Year Greetings from Ambassador Yamada
Happy New Year to everybody!
I am glad to address to you at the beginning of my second year in Armenia.
Last year marked the beginning of “Reiwa”era with the enthronement of new Emperor of Japan - a true landmark for the entire Japanese nation. Many distinguished guests and envoys were invited to the enthronement ceremony in October from all over the world. It was a great honor for us to welcome President and Mrs. Sarkissyan, who kindly attended it representing the Republic of Armenia. This event became a truly memorable and significant milestone for both Japan and Armenia - two countries which deeply cherish and duly take pride in their ancient tradition and culture. Now, in 2020 we will host the long-awaited Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Here in Armenia, a great wave of reforms continues after the political rejuvenation in 2018 and it is striking to notice the fresh vitality which is still omnipresent all over the country. The results of recent poll shows that more than 70% of Armenian people are optimistic about the future of their country. As the expression of free will of the people of a nation, this figure is just staggering by any standard, regardless of time or place. Such sentiment is most tangible in the ever intensifying interest and support by the world-wide Armenian diaspora toward their “Haireniq”.
In the midst of such ardent attention from the world, many important international events took place in Armenia last year, including the World Congress on Information Technology. One symbol of such tremendous passion Armenia devotes to the advanced technology is the now world-famous Global IT Award. Last year marked its historical 10th anniversary and the awardee turned out to be Dr. Takeo KANADE of Japan! This news was genuinely gratifying and auspicious for the future Japan-Armenia cooperation in this vital field.
Japan has been implementing quite wide-ranging cooperation with Armenia since the country regained independence, notably in the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters which we share as our ever-lasting, common “national”challenge. Now it is an urgent task for Japan to expand and deepen its sphere of future cooperation, encompassing the ongoing political and judicial reforms as well as the aforementioned latest technological development, thereby building unique and mutually beneficial relationship between our two countries. It was very timely indeed to see the Japan-Armenia bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement come into force in May last year. For Japan, this agreement is the very first in the Caucasus region. In this manner, all the necessary conditions are now being realized and offered.
2019 also marked the 160th anniversary of Mrs. Diana Apcar - the World’s First Female Diplomat. Her Granddaughter made a commemorative film about her and it had been shown here in Yerevan, too. Mrs. Apcar chose Japan as her permanent residence and never actually set foot on Armenian homeland. Nevertheless, she made the greatest achievement in assisting her fellow Armenian people. Her noble deed, together with the immense tragedy which made a historical background to it, shall remain in the memory of all humankind forever. The bridge she had built between our two countries, having saved so many lives back then, still continues to bring our two nations so firmly together to this day. It is my sincere hope that many more people will cross this bridge from Japan to Armenia as well as from Armenia to Japan throughout this year, thus making our mutual friendship - the most unique one in the whole world - still wider and deeper toward our common future.
January 1, 2020
Jun Yamada
Ambassador of Japan to Armenia