Greetings from Ambassador
In Lebanon,
therefore, the very unique society has been developed and formed with 18
officially recognized ethnic and religious groups and communities, which are up
to now coexisting.
As for the
Japan-Lebanon bilateral relationship, we established the legation in Beirut in
1954 immediately after Japan restored its position of the international
community in post-war era, and placed Lebanon as the strategic country for the
Japanese foreign trade and commercial activities in the Middle East. More than
1,500 Japanese residents in Lebanon were counted in 1970`s. Beirut began to
function as centre of the Japanese economic activities in the
region.
While Civil War
began in 1975 and ended in 1990, and then the military clashes sporadically
happened, Japanese companies have gradually evacuated from Lebanon which was
diminishing the role it used to play. Even now we cannot see the bilateral
economic relations fully restored.
However, I believe
that there are huge potentials for expanding the relations between Japan and
Lebanon toward the future. Fundamentally Japan has the strategic importance to
Lebanon.
First, we consider
it of vital importance that the international community would keep supporting
political stability of Lebanon because we have observed that the past unstable
conditions of Lebanon had posed a shadow to the stability of the whole Middle
East region.
Secondly, it is said
that there are more than ten million Lebanese migrants overseas, and they form
their communities in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and North America which have
much influential over their countries. Japanese, firms or individuals, have a lot of contacts with Lebanese
people over different parts of the world. This must be sustained by the
bilateral friendly relations.
Thirdly, I believe
it beneficial for Japan that Japanese businesses could be more engaged in
socio-economic activities in affiliation with Lebanese firms with professional
expertise especially in the Gulf and the Middle East.
The fourth I want to
emphasize is that I wish more Japanese could know about Lebanon, the country
with abundant history and culture on a hand, and more Lebanese could get
acquainted with the Japanese ideology and history and culture beyond subculture,
such as animation, manga, Japanese foods on the other
hand. I am confident that both people who can accept different culture based on
plural value system can become spiritually richer through active exchange of
people and culture
There is no doubt
that such development assistance gives benefit to the strengthening of the
bilateral cooperative relations and mutual understanding between Japan and
Lebanon. On the other hand, Japanese appreciate deeply condolences and donations
expressed by the Government of Lebanon and the various civic organizations and
groups. These facts make
Finally allow me to refer to my past personal contact to Lebanon. I was living as a student in Lebanon for one year and a few months from the year of 1977, and therefore Lebanon is a place where my memory about my young age is preserved. It is in Faraiya that I challenged skiing for the first time. I have never experienced in driving my own car until I came to Lebanon. It means that Lebanon is, so to speak, my second homeland and therefore I feel extremely delightful if I will dedicate to strengthening the existing friendly relations between the two countries.
August 2012
Seiichi Otsuka
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Lebanon