New Year’s Greeting 2018 from Ambassador Inomata
Dear everyone,
Happy New Year!
On the occasion of us welcoming the New Year, I would like to look back on last year, and express my aspirations for 2018.
In March 2017, the Dutch General elections were held, and after negotiations about the formation of a coalition for approximately seven months, the Third Rutte Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Rutte was formed by four parties: the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the Democrats 66 (D66), and the Christian Union (CU) on October 26. In terms of foreign policy, the Netherlands will this year serve as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the duration of a year. I will closely follow their engagement with the various issues occurring in the global community.
Compared to other countries in Europe, the Dutch economy is growing steadily. In the Budget Memorandum that the Dutch government presented in 2017, which includes the prediction of economic growth rate, fiscal surplus, government debt, and unemployment rate, it is expected that the Dutch economy will continue to grow.
In terms of the Japanese-Dutch investment situation, the balance of investments from Japan to the Netherlands is the second biggest within the European Union. At the same time, the investments from the Netherlands to Japan are the second biggest within Europe as well. The number of Japanese-owned businesses operating in the Netherlands has increased to 374 which has grown consecutively since 2013.
Last year, a great number of delegations from Japan visited the Netherlands mostly in the field of agriculture. I once again felt the great interest that Japanese people have in the advanced horticulture establishments in the Netherlands. Based on the “Japan-Netherlands Dialogue on Agricultural Cooperation” that was established in 2016, subcommittee meetings were held three times and in November 2017 the first main assembly was held in Japan. In such ways, the cooperative relationship between the two parties has become stronger than ever. From now on as well, I expect further growth in the agricultural field of both our countries, through the exchange of expertise and knowledge, as well as the progression of innovation occurring in the agricultural field.
In terms of the relations between Japan and Europe, since the first meeting of the special ‘Task-force regarding the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU’ set up in July 2016 within the Japanese government, seven meetings have been held (up until December 2017). I know there is great interest among Japanese companies regarding Brexit. Moreover, in December 2017, negotiations of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) were concluded. I am convinced that from now on, once the process of the signing and ratification of this agreement has been followed and the agreement comes into effect, it will bring about an economic growth that will be encompassing and sustainable for both Japan and the EU.
As far as the Japanese-Dutch bilateral relationship is concerned, in November 2017 Her Royal Highness Princess Laurentien visited Japan to attend the memorial ceremony for the completion of the Main Gate Bridge of Dejima in Nagasaki. Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino also attended the ceremony. This embodies the close relationship of the Imperial and Royal Houses of both Japan and the Netherlands. On this occasion, the City of Nagasaki and Leiden became linked as Sister Cities. Moreover, in the same month, the World Congress of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) was hosted in Amsterdam and from Japan, Her Imperial Highness, Princess Tomohito of Mikasa attended.
In 2017 as well, our Embassy hosted various cultural events in cooperation with many organizations. In Amstelveen I visited two festivals: the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring and the Japan Festival in autumn. In June, I also attended the Japan Market in Leiden. In March, the 30th Japanese Public Speaking Contest was held in which many participants competed. In June, Mr. Yukio Okamoto, former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, visited the Netherlands and gave lectures about the shape of modern Japan from the political and economic angle, which was a great opportunity for Dutch people to deepen their understanding. At our Cultural Centre, we hosted workshops of calligraphy and Aikido and a lecture by Japan’s Cultural Envoy 2017/18 Mr. Sebastian Masuda. I hope that in 2018 as well, through various cultural events, exchange between Japan and the Netherlands will continue to take place.
With the Conferment of Decorations of the Government of Japan in 2017, we conferred upon Mr. Jacob van der Goot, the former Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Rotterdam and Mr. Hein Odinot, former president of Dutch Kendo Federation in spring, and Dr. J.A. Stam, professor emeritus of Erasmus University and University of Twente and Mr. C.J. Nolten, former staff member of our Embassy in autumn. Last year, we also welcomed two new Honorary Consul-Generals, Mr. Jos ter Avest in Amsterdam and Mr Willem Briët in Rotterdam. I am looking forward to their activities from now on and I hope that, together with the Embassy, they will be of great help to everyone.
For the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), 2017 was a memorial year, as it marked the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the founding of the OPCW. Foreseeing the coming 20 years, Japan would like to keep contributing to the disarmament efforts and the international initiatives that aim to continue prohibiting chemical weapons towards their worldwide abolition and the prevention of their proliferation, through debates on the pending issues related to the CWC, including the issue of chemical weapons used in Syria which has grown into a major concern of the international community.
In December 2017, elections took place for Judges for the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ms. Tomoko Akane, Ambassador for International Judicial Cooperation and Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office of Japan was elected as a judge. Along with my heartfelt congratulations, I look forward to her activities from now on, steeped in a wealth of experience. Moreover, last year, H.E. Judge Ronny Abraham, the President of International Court of Justice (ICJ), and Mr. Philippe Couvreur, the Registrar of ICJ, visited Japan upon the invitation of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From Japan, the State Minister of Justice, Mr. Moriyama, visited to the Netherlands. It was an active year with the coming and going of legal representatives and I hope for the same vigour for 2018 and wish to reinforce it even more.
Unfortunately, large-scale terrorism has recently occurred in places all over the world, including various places in Europe, such as France, Belgium, Germany and Spain. In the Netherlands as well, we cannot be indifferent to the severe situation of having to be vigilant at all times. For us as the Embassy of Japan, maintaining the safety of all Japanese residents here is our top priority. Last year, we tackled safety measures even more for the Japanese schools and the Japanese supplementary schools. From now on as well, we will deepen our cooperation with the Dutch authorities of Public Safety and to take proactive steps to the best of our abilities to maintain everyone’s safety, while providing information on the situation of security and terrorism.
Turning to the natural disaster, the island of Sint-Maarten in the Caribbean, a constituent country of the Netherlands, was struck by “Hurricane Irma” in September 2017. We cooperated with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence to evacuate and arrange emergency transport for the Japanese people who were left behind there. I would once again like to express my deepest sympathy for all the victims. For the future, I would like to construct a cooperative relationship with other countries as well as the Japanese-Dutch relationship to prepare for emergency situations.
Finally, I would like to end my New Year’s greeting by wishing you all great happiness and prosperity.
January 2018
Hiroshi Inomata
Ambassador of Japan
to the Netherlands