TOKYO: (From left) Kuwaiti Ambassador Hasan Mohammad Zaman and Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Honda. - KUNA

TOKYO: The Kuwaiti Embassy in Tokyo hosted a photo exhibition yesterday to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Kuwait-Japan diplomatic relations, themed "The Friendship between State of Kuwait and Japan". In a video message, Kuwait's Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah recalled the onset of the Kuwait-Japan relationship in 1961, which he called "a role model of the relations between countries."

"I recall with great appreciation and pride the path of our extraordinary relations throughout the years, and their resilience against the challenges brought about by the rapidly changing international situations. Our relations maintained their continuous growth thanks to the support of our countries' political leaderships," Sheikh Dr Ahmad said. The Kuwait-Japan relations started in the 1950s and developed since Kuwait agreed in 1958 to grant Japan's Arabian Oil Company ltd an oil and gas concession, the minister noted.

"This agreement was one of the most significant aspects of cooperation with the Japanese private companies in this field," said Sheikh Dr Ahmad. He added that the first oil shipment was exported to Japan in 1958 before the two countries established their diplomatic relations. "On this day in 1961, Japan was among the first countries to recognize the Independence of the State of Kuwait," he said.

Sheikh Dr Ahmad commended Japan's support to Kuwait and contribution of over $13 billion to the efforts to liberate Kuwait after the 1990 Iraqi invasion. Touching on the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northeastern Japan in March 2011, the minister said "Kuwait shared Japan's grief and pain on this tragedy" and "offered urgent humanitarian assistance to alleviate the impact of the devastating earthquake in support of our friends, the people of Japan" upon the directives of the late Amir.

Sheikh Dr Ahmad stressed that Kuwait attaches great importance to promoting its relations with Japan, pointing out that 16 bilateral agreements were concluded, and trade volume reached $1.7 billion in 2020. He also lauded the role of the Kuwaiti Japanese Businessmen Committee established in 1995 and the private sector's active contribution to strengthening the economic, commercial, and investment relations between the two countries.

While expressing appreciation for the friendly countries' historic and deeply rooted relations, Sheikh Dr Ahmad also voiced expectations to promote bilateral relations and advance them in various fields to the level of our countries' leaders and peoples' ambitions.

The exhibition held in the embassy premises with some 40 photos, showed not only images of mutual visits of the high-rank officials, such as the visit to Japan by Kuwait's late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 2012 and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Kuwait in 2013, but also depicted memorable scenes of bilateral cooperation and people-to-people exchanges of the two countries over the past 60 years.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by some 50 guests, including Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Honda, Governor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike, Chairman of the Japan-Kuwait Parliamentary Friendship League Eisuke Mori, senior government officials, political figures, diplomats and business people.

Addressing the guests at the opening ceremony, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Hasan Mohammad Zaman hailed the sustainable development of relations between the two countries, while thanking for good friendship, amazing partnership and unwavering support that had shown to the Kuwaiti Embassy and Kuwait over the last 60 years. "One essential aspect of our relations has been solidarity," he said, highlighting Japan's prompt support to Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and Kuwait's assistance to Japan in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

"Kuwait offered the people of Japan a donation of 5 million barrels of crude oil, as token of appreciation, support and a natural deed by a friend who could never forget the support our friends in Japan have offered twenty years earlier," said Zaman.

In his congratulatory speech, Honda said the two countries have continued to foster friendly relations in multiple layers over the past six decades of its history since the establishment of the diplomatic ties. Describing Kuwait as a strong partner as well as a trustworthy supplier of oil for Japan, Honda said the relations between the two countries are not limited to the energy sector, but have also achieved steady progress in extensive areas such as politics, economy and culture under the" comprehensive partnership."

Honda also said the people of Japan will never forget swift and large-scale assistance given from Kuwait following the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster. To express the city's gratitude for Kuwait's assistance towards reconstruction efforts, Nihonmatsu city of Fukushima prefecture became Kuwait's "ARIGATO" Host Town during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, he explained.

The official also said Japan respects Kuwait's efforts to pursue peace and conduct proactive diplomacy in order to maintain harmony in the Middle East region. Honda also reaffirmed Japan's commitment to further develop the relationships between Japan and Kuwait both bilaterally and through international forums. Kuwait and Japan established diplomatic relations on December 8, 1961. - KUNA