Islamabad, 29 April 2022 (TDI): Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan shared congratulatory remarks to commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan.
The Prime Minister of Japan extended his congratulations to his Pakistani counterpart, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his assumption of the role. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio also congratulated the people of both countries for seventy years of bilateral ties.
The diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan were established on 28th April 1952. It was the same day when the San Francisco Peace Treaty went into effect and Japan emerged as an independent state.
Prime Minister Kishida stated in the message that he was “pleased to celebrate this milestone. Japan and Pakistan have nurtured friendly relations over the years, extending support to each other when in need.”
He noted that cotton exported from Pakistan to Japan supported the Japanese textile industry and boosted Japan’s postwar reconstruction.
In response, Japan has continually provided Pakistan with assistance in its areas of expertise, like healthcare, water, education, and disaster management.
Along these lines, the Japanese Prime Minister enunciated that both Japan and Pakistan were disaster-prone countries and they have helped each other over the years.
Reminiscing about when Pakistan was struck by a massive earthquake in 2005 and later by severe floods in 2010, Kishida Fumio highlighted that Japan dispatched its disaster relief team along with providing loans and grant aid.
Likewise, Pakistan not only provided relief goods, like milk and biscuits, but Pakistani people residing in Japan also traveled to the affected areas to serve hot meals to disaster victims, when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in 2011.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister also mentioned in his message that in the deteriorated situation in Afghanistan last August, Pakistan extended generous support to Japan and facilitated a safe departure from Afghanistan for Japanese nationals.
Similarly, it helped to facilitate the safe departure of the Afghan staff working in the Japanese Embassy and the JICA office in Afghanistan.
Talking further about Pakistan, he said that by the virtue of its strategic location it connects Asia and the Middle East. Therefore, Pakistan is one of the most important countries for regional stability as well as international counter-terrorism efforts.
In this context, Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan would like to cooperate with Pakistan in the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. “In this milestone year, I wish to elevate our bilateral relations to new heights.
I am determined to work with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan even more closely for that purpose,” he added. Furthermore, he conveyed his earnest wishes for the prosperity of Japan and Pakistan.
Japan International Cooperation Agency, commonly known as JICA is also celebrating 70 years of ties between Pakistan and japan with the video titled “A story of Friendship and Assistance”.
The short animated video is the story of Areeba Saleha, a girl born to a family from Abbottabad, Pakistan. Her lifelong friendship with JICA started with her birth at the Children’s Hospital in Islamabad.
Areeba’s parents raised her through thick and thin. However, the assistance of JICA at every step of the way in health, education, disaster management, and water and sanitation, befriended her.
Presently, Areeba is a role model for many children deserving a good life. She has set up her own fashion apparel brand. Her story illustrates JICA’s mission and vision of decades of collaboration with the Pakistani people.
