Message from Ambassador

New Year’s Greetings from Ambassador
 
Since my arrival in this country at the end of last May, it has been my great pleasure to encounter a countless pieces of attractiveness of Nigeria, which I would not be able to experience if I were in Japan. Of course, it is a fact that Nigeria, a multiethnic country, faces a number of challenges such as poverty, security situation, and rapidly growing population. However, having witnessed not only such negative images of Nigeria, but also a huge potential of this generous and great country of African continent including new development in cultural and economic aspects, I have strengthened my brief that mutual understanding needs to be further deepened through promoting the balanced image of Nigeria in Japan and vice versa.
 
From this perspective, the Embassy has been trying hard to enhance the relationship with not only the Federal Government of Nigeria, but also international organizations as well as to promote grass-root level interactions with, for example, an alumni association of former Nigerian scholarship students having studied in Japan. At the same time, as a part of our efforts to make the presence of Japan and the Embassy’s activities visible, the Embassy has establish its Facebook page to reach out the Nigerian people.
 
Under the firm belief that Japanese companies can contribute to a social and economic development of Nigeria, the Embassy has been proactively supporting Japanese companies’ operations in Nigeria. After I saw a success of the Japan Pavilion at the Lagos International Trade Fair 2018 in November, I renewed my recognition of the Japanese company’s growing interests in Nigerian economy, including such new areas as start-up businesses and IT industry.
 
The international community is also paying close attention to Nigeria. Last year, the President of France, the German Chancellor, the British Prime Minister and Their Highness the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Governor-General of Canada paid a visit to Nigeria one after another. When it comes to the Nigerian dignitary’s visit to Japan last year, the Honourable Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen. Dan Ali (Rtd.), the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Dalong, and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele as well as a number of VIPs from State Governments visited Japan, while, in the Japanese side, the Japan-Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship League was inaugurated in November. I feel a great opportunity to deepen the bilateral relationship between Japan and Nigeria has come.
 
This year of 2019 is going to be historically important for both Japan and Nigeria. On the Nigerian side, the presidential election is scheduled to take place in February, which will be followed by the inauguration ceremony of the President of Nigeria in May. I strongly believe the next election will be conducted in as free, fair and peaceful a manner as it was in 2015, regardless of the outcome. On the part of Japan, she will host G20 Summit in Osaka in June, the 7^th TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development) in August, and the ceremony for the enthronement of the new Emperor of Japan in October. By taking these important occasions in 2019 as an opportunity, I hope the mutual visits of prominent persons between the two countries will become more active than ever before and that, as a result, the bilateral relationship will be further strengthened.
 
Last but not least, I sincerely hope that everyone will live a sound and peaceful life this year and that things will go better and better for all of you.
 
Kikuta Yutaka
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan
to the Federal Republic of Nigeria







Ambassador's Message (May 25, 2018)