New Year message from Ambassador

Last year was a tough year for the entire world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Alongside Nigeria’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19, Japan has continued its assistance in the health sector and its support towards peace and stability in Nigeria. Besides that, we witnessed some positive moments in the relationship between Japan and Nigeria.

In 2020, Nigeria celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of its independence. 2020 was also the year of the 60^thanniversary of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Nigeria as well as the establishment of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria. Among many African countries which got independence in 1960, the year of Africa, it is only in Nigeria that Japan opened her Embassy within the year, and has been accredited solely to Nigeria since that year.
 
Professor Isaac F. Adewole, former Minister of Health, received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, one of the highest orders awarded in the name of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, in recognition of his contributions towards strengthening bilateral relations between Japan and Nigeria, especially in the health sector. Professor James C. Ogbonna and Professor Mohammed Dauda carved their names in history as the very first Nigerians to receive the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendations for their contributions to the promotion of educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries. In the political field, the Nigeria-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group was established in Nigeria, following the establishment of its counterpart group in Japan in 2019.  
 
​This year 2021, would be a year to enhance our friendly relationship on our journey towards the centennial anniversary, beyond the diamond jubilee. In this context, it is my great pleasure to be receiving the Japanese Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu, who is scheduled to visit Nigeria early this month*. The visit will mark the first follow-up move after the year of the diamond jubilee. The visit will be the first one by a Japanese Foreign Minister after several decades and will surely give the utmost momentum for further promotion of our bilateral relations.
 
Last but not least, I sincerely wish all of you a peaceful and healthy new year.

 
KIKUTA Yutaka
 
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan
to the Federal Republic of Nigeria

*With deepest regret, the visit by Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, got cancelled. Please refer to https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press3e_000152.html .


Ambassador's Message (JAN 01, 2020)
Ambassador's Message (JAN 03, 2019)
Ambassador's Message (May 25, 2018)