Message from Ambassador

Happy New Year to you all!
 
I look forward to writing new pages of the Japan-Kenya relations together with you this year. Let me count on your continued support.
 
While we expect major changes in international politics, we expect continued stable development in the Japan-Kenya relations. Japan and Kenya firmly commit to the political system and foreign and economic policies that are free and open. As partners to uphold a free and open international order, Kenya and Japan need each other. Let us build on the achievements of the past year to make further progress this year.
 
At the beginning of the year, the 14th joint public-private mission to Africa will visit Kenya, led by State Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Mr. FUJII Hisayuki, and with the participation of about 30 Japanese companies. It is expected to add further impetus to the growing trade and investment relations between the two countries. In addition, the first round of the regular Policy Dialogues at the senior official level between the two governments will be held. The partnership between the two countries will be honed through close consultations on a wide range of foreign policy issues.
 
The joint works, thus set in motion, will culminate in August with the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9). TICAD is the major diplomatic event between Japan and the African continent as a whole, which has set the tone for Africa-Japan relations over the past 30 years. Kenya is one of the most important partner countries in the TICAD process, as clearly demonstrated by Kenya's hosting of TICAD VI, the first TICAD on the African continent, in 2016. This year's TICAD 9 will also be an important conference that will pave the way for Africa-Japan relations over the next three years, taking into account the current international situations and long-term prospects. Japan and Kenya need to cooperate to lead the conference to a success.
 
At the same time, TICAD is an opportunity for the Heads of Governments of Japan and Kenya to meet. This is a unique opportunity for Japan and Kenya to get the support of the two countries' leaders for a range of cooperation projects and to take them forward strongly.
Toward the summit meeting at TICAD 9, the two countries will work to finalize cooperation projects one by one, taking advantage of milestones such as the Kenya National Day at the Expo 2025 Osaka in June. This long and dynamic upward process is comparable to mountain climbing. When we reach the summit, a new horizon will open up in front of us and we will be able to look forward to yet another higher level. Isn't that something to look forward to?
 
The reach of the Japan-Kenya relationship extends broadly. But all of us breathe the same air of friendship between our two peoples. It would be a real pleasure, if this year becomes a year in which we realize that we are all breathing the air of the friendship in one great rhythm. I look forward to working with you for it to happen.