A New Year’s Greeting for 2018
2018/1/1
I extend my wish for a Happy New Year for everyone.
It has been one and a half year since I came to Pohnpei as Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. From 23rd to 26th October this year, His Excellency Mr. Peter Martin Christian, the president of the FSM made an official visit to Japan. President Christian visited Fukushima to attend the 7th Pacific Leaders Meeting soon after he became the 8th president in May 2015. After that, he visited Japan privately every year, but this is his first official bilateral visit. President Christian had a variety of schedules during his stay in Japan; he made a State Call on His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, attended a dinner reception held by Mr. Taro Kono-Minister for Foreign Affairs, had a talk with a Japanese former president Mori, and met with the Japan-FSM friendship association. He was welcomed by a cortege and had a summit meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Prime Minister’s office and also attended a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister. President Christian arrived in Tokyo just after a typhoon left, so he was able to see beautiful Mt. Fuji from the Former Residence of Yoshida Shigeru, where Foreign Minister Kono hosted a dinner reception.
The historical relationship between FSM and Japan is long and deep. When it was mentioned to the President Christian during his stay in Japan that next year would mark the 30th anniversary of the two nations’ diplomatic relations, the President have responded by saying that the people of the FSM count on beyond 30 years because the peoples of the two nations have been connected for more than 100 years.
I have visited the State of Chuuk last November. In addition to my meeting with the State and Local Government Leaders, Businessmen, school teachers and students, I also had a meeting with many Japanese-Chuukese. It is said that 20 percent of the FSM population are of Japanese descent and especially Chuuk, where the percentage of Japanese descent is higher than the other states. During my stay at Chuuk, I met the Mori family, Nakayama family, Aizawa family and Hashiguchi family and many of them are playing important roles in Chuuk. Of course, I had visited the monument for Mori Koben who immigrated from Japan to Chuuk more than 120 years ago and also visited Tonoas Island .
2018 is the year that marks 30th anniversary of the two nations’ diplomatic relations and Eighth Pacific Leaders Meeting ( PALM 8) , which will be held in May 2018 in Japan. We, Embassy will try to do our best to strengthen the friendship of two countries with all supporters in the FSM and Japan.
Thank you very much and best regards,
Ambassador Ryoichi Horie
Embassy of Japan in the FSM
It has been one and a half year since I came to Pohnpei as Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. From 23rd to 26th October this year, His Excellency Mr. Peter Martin Christian, the president of the FSM made an official visit to Japan. President Christian visited Fukushima to attend the 7th Pacific Leaders Meeting soon after he became the 8th president in May 2015. After that, he visited Japan privately every year, but this is his first official bilateral visit. President Christian had a variety of schedules during his stay in Japan; he made a State Call on His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, attended a dinner reception held by Mr. Taro Kono-Minister for Foreign Affairs, had a talk with a Japanese former president Mori, and met with the Japan-FSM friendship association. He was welcomed by a cortege and had a summit meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Prime Minister’s office and also attended a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister. President Christian arrived in Tokyo just after a typhoon left, so he was able to see beautiful Mt. Fuji from the Former Residence of Yoshida Shigeru, where Foreign Minister Kono hosted a dinner reception.
The historical relationship between FSM and Japan is long and deep. When it was mentioned to the President Christian during his stay in Japan that next year would mark the 30th anniversary of the two nations’ diplomatic relations, the President have responded by saying that the people of the FSM count on beyond 30 years because the peoples of the two nations have been connected for more than 100 years.
I have visited the State of Chuuk last November. In addition to my meeting with the State and Local Government Leaders, Businessmen, school teachers and students, I also had a meeting with many Japanese-Chuukese. It is said that 20 percent of the FSM population are of Japanese descent and especially Chuuk, where the percentage of Japanese descent is higher than the other states. During my stay at Chuuk, I met the Mori family, Nakayama family, Aizawa family and Hashiguchi family and many of them are playing important roles in Chuuk. Of course, I had visited the monument for Mori Koben who immigrated from Japan to Chuuk more than 120 years ago and also visited Tonoas Island .
2018 is the year that marks 30th anniversary of the two nations’ diplomatic relations and Eighth Pacific Leaders Meeting ( PALM 8) , which will be held in May 2018 in Japan. We, Embassy will try to do our best to strengthen the friendship of two countries with all supporters in the FSM and Japan.
Thank you very much and best regards,
Ambassador Ryoichi Horie
Embassy of Japan in the FSM