Foreign affairs Minister Vincent Biruta together with Ambassador Masahiro Imai.
Kigali: Japan Embassy in Rwanda yesterday evening celebrated the 60th Birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, the Ambassador of Japan delivered a speech in which he confirmed his commitment to increase Japanese investment in Rwanda and reinforce cooperation. Read below his message:
Good Evening, It is my great honor to welcome you to my residence to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty, the 126th Emperor of Japan. His Majesty acceded to throne on May 1 and the ceremony for the enthronement was performed on October 22 last year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank for the attendance of the national leaders and other distinguished figures from the countries represented here.
- Self-introduction of the Ambassador
I had worked in a trading and investment company for 39 years before being appointed to this post. In other words, my carrier as a diplomat is only two months old, so, presumably, no one will raise an objection if I here declare that I am the youngest diplomat in the Embassy. I think there is a difference between diplomatic service and business: business seeks maximising profits, while diplomacy seeks maximising national interests.
Nevertheless, I personally believe that doing business and doing diplomacy are fundamentally the same for two reasons. First, both in business relationship and diplomatic relationship, it is essential to pursue benefit not from the perspectives of immediate gain and loss, but from the long-term perspectives that can be sustainably inherited to the future generations.
Second, both in business relationship and diplomatic relationship, we should never give up endeavours to reach mutually beneficial conclusion by enlarging the total portion of profit to be shared, rather than competing for a limited portion of profit. In this regard, I am confident that my 40-year experience as a commercial trader will certainly help me best perform as ambassador and, in this regard, contrary to what I said in the beginning, I am the diplomat who has the longest carrier among my colleagues in my Embassy.
- Business
My predecessor, Ambassador Miyashita, told me proudly before leaving Kigali that, during his 3-year term of office, the number of Japanese companies doing business in Rwanda had increased from 7 to 27. I am myself proud that, even during the 2 months to date since I arrived here in Kigali, this figure further went up to 30. This is a clear demonstration of soaring interest of Japanese private sector in doing business in Rwanda.
With a view to encouraging the business sector of Japan and Rwanda to find new business opportunities, I have invited Japanese companies that have invested in Rwanda to set up exhibition booths and display their products at the entrance hall of my residence. You will also find Toyota and Mitsubishi cars exhibit outside the entrance. It is my firm conviction that Japan and Rwanda have a wide spectrum of unexplored business opportunities, and it would be my greatest pleasure if my experience as a businessman could be any help for you to give tangible shapes to them.
- Japan-Rwanda diplomatic relations
The diplomatic relationship between Japan and Rwanda was established shortly after Rwanda’s independence in 1962. Have you ever heard that a Japanese banker became “ipso facto” the first Governor of the Central Bank of Rwanda? It was Mr. Masaya Hattori, at the request of the IMF, who served as Governor of the Central Bank for 6 years from 1965 to 1971. Governor Hattori was enthusiastic about increasing and diversifying agricultural production as well as establishing trading system of agricultural commodities.
Building upon Mr. Hattori’s achievements, Japan has a long history of working with Rwanda for its agricultural development, and last year, Japan and Rwanda agreed on a new loan up to 10 billion yen, equivalent to 90 million US Dollars, to be implemented by JICA.
We are expecting that, making use of this programme, Rwanda will be able to acquire capabilities for producing high value-added exportable agricultural products, which will certainly contribute to reducing its trade deficit as well.
We also have a huge momentum now for expanding our cultural and people-to-people communication, as Japan will organize the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in this coming July and August. They will be excellent opportunities to showcase what Japan has to offer to the world, including its rich cultural and culinary offerings, beautiful nature, advanced technology, and the hospitality of our people. Under the “Host Town Initiative”, the Hachimantai City in Iwate Prefecture welcomes the preparation camps of the Rwandan Olympians.
In order to benefit from the Olympic year, we will organize the Japanese film festival tomorrow and the day after (21-22 Feb) at Kigali Century Cinema. We have already sent an invitation to all of today’s guests. If you do not receive it, please do not hesitate to ask us. We will screen five films introducing Japan and it is free of charge. The history of the Japanese Embassy also started with Rwanda’s independence and the following establishment of diplomatic relation.
But it was only in 2010 that we finally opened an Embassy here with an ambassador solely dedicated to serving for Rwanda. This year, we are going to celebrate our 10th anniversary of the Embassy in Kigali.
I sincerely hope that this year marks the beginning of another and even brighter decade for the two countries.
- Conclusion and Toast
Last but not least, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your attendance today and your continued friendship with Japan. I would like to ask for your further cooperation for the future prosperity of Rwanda and Japan.
Allow me to end my remarks by proposing a toast. A toast for the health and happiness of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, H.E. the President Kagame and all of you here tonight, for our long-lasting friendship! Cheers. (End)