New Year's Greetings from Ambassador
2024/1/1
As we welcome the year 2024, I extend my greetings to all.
First and foremost, regarding the current situation in Gaza, I express my deepest condolences to all who have lost their lives and my sympathies to those affected. We earnestly hope for the cessation of harm to civilians, adequate supply of humanitarian aid, recovery of commercial activities, and progress in rehabilitation. It is our desire that after these steps, a long-lasting peace, stability, and prosperity of the region, based on the two-State solution will be built. Japan will continue to contribute towards these ends.
Looking back on the past year, following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japan Self-Defense Forces conducted the Rescue of Japanese Nationals Overseas (RJNO) and Transportation of Japanese Nationals Overseas (TJNO) exercise (Operation: 04 Furnace Darter) with the cooperation of the Jordan Armed Forces. We saw high-level exchanges such as the visit of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein to Japan in April 2023, the Jordan-Japan Business Forum held in Amman in July as a follow-up on the King’s visit, and the visit of Their Imperial Highnesses Princess Takamado and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado to Jordan from May to June on the occasion of the celebrations of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein's wedding. Numerous ministerial visits took place, including the 3rd and 4th Strategic Dialogues between then-Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa and H.E. Mr. Ayman Al Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in March and September, and the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between Minister for Digital Transformation KONO Taro and H.E. Mr. Ahmad Hanandeh, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship in July. The foreign ministers' meetings between Minister for Foreign Affairs KAMIKAWA Yoko and Minister Safadi in October, November, and December, as well as the Japan-Jordan summit in October and December, focused on the situation in Gaza. Following these events, the Self-Defense Forces have been stationed in Jordan since October, engaging twice in the evacuation of Japanese nationals residing in Israel
2023 also marked the 70th anniversary of Japan's cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Japan reaffirmed its commitment to continue working closely with UNRWA and supporting Palestinian refugees.
The year 2024 is a momentous one, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Embassies between the two countries. Our Embassy, together with the Jordan-Japan Friendship Association, which officially launched last May, will be organizing commemorative events throughout the year. Please sign up for our mailing list to receive regular updates on upcoming events.
Our Embassy, utilizing various means of economic assistance, will continue to provide support that leads to sustainable development and improvement of people’s life and prosperity, on the basis of Jordan's own priorities and will endeavor to expand mutual trade and investment. At the same time, Japan and Jordan are strategic partners cooperating in the international arena, mindful of the regional situations each country faces, and Japan will continue to contribute to international peace and stability through constant policy dialogue with Jordan.
First and foremost, regarding the current situation in Gaza, I express my deepest condolences to all who have lost their lives and my sympathies to those affected. We earnestly hope for the cessation of harm to civilians, adequate supply of humanitarian aid, recovery of commercial activities, and progress in rehabilitation. It is our desire that after these steps, a long-lasting peace, stability, and prosperity of the region, based on the two-State solution will be built. Japan will continue to contribute towards these ends.
Looking back on the past year, following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japan Self-Defense Forces conducted the Rescue of Japanese Nationals Overseas (RJNO) and Transportation of Japanese Nationals Overseas (TJNO) exercise (Operation: 04 Furnace Darter) with the cooperation of the Jordan Armed Forces. We saw high-level exchanges such as the visit of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein to Japan in April 2023, the Jordan-Japan Business Forum held in Amman in July as a follow-up on the King’s visit, and the visit of Their Imperial Highnesses Princess Takamado and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado to Jordan from May to June on the occasion of the celebrations of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein's wedding. Numerous ministerial visits took place, including the 3rd and 4th Strategic Dialogues between then-Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa and H.E. Mr. Ayman Al Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in March and September, and the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between Minister for Digital Transformation KONO Taro and H.E. Mr. Ahmad Hanandeh, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship in July. The foreign ministers' meetings between Minister for Foreign Affairs KAMIKAWA Yoko and Minister Safadi in October, November, and December, as well as the Japan-Jordan summit in October and December, focused on the situation in Gaza. Following these events, the Self-Defense Forces have been stationed in Jordan since October, engaging twice in the evacuation of Japanese nationals residing in Israel
2023 also marked the 70th anniversary of Japan's cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Japan reaffirmed its commitment to continue working closely with UNRWA and supporting Palestinian refugees.
The year 2024 is a momentous one, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Embassies between the two countries. Our Embassy, together with the Jordan-Japan Friendship Association, which officially launched last May, will be organizing commemorative events throughout the year. Please sign up for our mailing list to receive regular updates on upcoming events.
Our Embassy, utilizing various means of economic assistance, will continue to provide support that leads to sustainable development and improvement of people’s life and prosperity, on the basis of Jordan's own priorities and will endeavor to expand mutual trade and investment. At the same time, Japan and Jordan are strategic partners cooperating in the international arena, mindful of the regional situations each country faces, and Japan will continue to contribute to international peace and stability through constant policy dialogue with Jordan.