Ambassador MIKAMI Masahiro

MIKAMI Masahiro Ambassador of Japan to NATO

I have recently arrived here as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium. My previous post was in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Since my arrival here, I am enjoying the beautiful cityscapes of Brussels, and I look forward to visiting other parts of Belgium with its long history and rich culture.

Relations between Japan and Belgium continue to be in good shape, even under difficult circumstances following the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, and further bilateral cooperation is expected in a wide range of fields. Last December, the largest ever Belgian economic mission to Japan, with a total of nearly 600 participants, led by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, visited Japan. The Embassy will continue to work for a better business and working environment for Japanese people and will work closely with the Belgian authorities to follow up on this important mission.

On the cultural front, the Embassy has gradually resumed various activities since early autumn last year, including cooperation for events such as the Akira Kurosawa Retrospective Film Festival, the opening of the exhibition of new woodblock prints (Shin Hanga) at the Royal Museum of Art and History, and a special exhibition of the Japanese book collection at KU Leuven university. I am pleased that various exchange activities have provided many people with opportunities to enjoy Japanese culture again. Through the implementation of various exchange projects, we would like to help the Belgian people to better understand the culture of our country and to further develop Japan-Belgium relations.

In the field of security, at a time when the international order is facing serious challenges, cooperation among like-minded countries with shared fundamental values is of great importance. Last year, the Japan Chair was established at the think tank VUB-CSDS (Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Free University of Brussels), funded by the Japanese Government, and in recent years interest in Japan’s role in the Indo-Pacific region has been growing in particular. We would like to further strengthen the cooperation between Japan, NATO and the EU with a view to realising a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).

The Embassy is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Japanese residents in Belgium and would appreciate your continued cooperation and support. I look forward to meeting many of you, from both Belgium and Japan.