Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Day Reception 2025（October 2, 2025）
2025/10/3
On Thursday, October 2, the Embassy of Japan in the Netherlands hosted the “Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Day Reception.”
This year marks the 71st anniversary of the founding of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and also serves as a milestone year symbolizing the long history of Japan–Netherlands relations, which has spanned 425 years.
The reception was attended by numerous government officials, including representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as experts from universities and think tank experts specializing in security, members of the diplomatic corps in The Hague, and officials from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The event offered an opportunity to reflect on the friendship and trust that Japan and the Netherlands have built over the years and to reaffirm our commitment to deepening cooperation as partners who share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.
In an increasingly unstable international environment, the cooperation between Japan and the Netherlands—countries that share common values—is becoming ever more important for the peace and stability of both the region and the international community. Building on this exchange, the Embassy of Japan in the Netherlands will continue to work diligently to ensure that both countries can contribute actively to the international community.
This year marks the 71st anniversary of the founding of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and also serves as a milestone year symbolizing the long history of Japan–Netherlands relations, which has spanned 425 years.
The reception was attended by numerous government officials, including representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as experts from universities and think tank experts specializing in security, members of the diplomatic corps in The Hague, and officials from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The event offered an opportunity to reflect on the friendship and trust that Japan and the Netherlands have built over the years and to reaffirm our commitment to deepening cooperation as partners who share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.
In an increasingly unstable international environment, the cooperation between Japan and the Netherlands—countries that share common values—is becoming ever more important for the peace and stability of both the region and the international community. Building on this exchange, the Embassy of Japan in the Netherlands will continue to work diligently to ensure that both countries can contribute actively to the international community.
