New Year’s Greeting 2026 from Ambassador Michii
2026/1/1
Happy New Year!
I arrived in the Netherlands last December and am pleased to greet the New Year here for the first time. I would like to extend my warmest New Year’s greetings to you all.
Last year marked the 425th anniversary of Japan–Netherlands relations, and it was a year in which our friendly and cooperative ties were further strengthened with your support through many significant exchanges, including visits to Japan by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, Prime Minister Schoof, as well as many ministers, business missions, and other Dutch partners. In addition, the signing in December of the Japan–Netherlands Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA)—the first bilateral agreement between our two countries in the field of defense—served as a fitting conclusion to a year that demonstrated the expanding breadth of our cooperation.
Building upon these achievements, this year is expected to see further concrete progress in bilateral cooperation. In January, the MONO JAPAN FAIR 2026 and a concluding cultural program event for the Netherlands Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan are scheduled to be held in the Netherlands. In June, in addition to the annual Japan Festival, a Japan–Netherlands match in the opening round of the FIFA World Cup is also scheduled. Furthermore, beginning with the visit to Japan in January by State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman, various visits in a wide range of fields are expected between our two countries throughout the year. The Embassy of Japan looks forward to working closely with all of you to further promote Japan–Netherlands cooperation.
On the international stage, the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, as well as tensions in the Asia-Pacific region continue to warrant our close attention; and we have been seeing new developments in the Americas since the beginning of the year. Under these circumstances, the Embassy will continue to work closely with international organizations located in the Netherlands, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), with a view to addressing challenges faced by the international community, upholding fundamental values including the rule of law.
Within the Netherlands, following the ongoing coalition negotiations, a new government is expected to be formed at some point this year. Whichever choice might be made, Japan remains committed to further strengthening Japan–Netherlands relations.
With the continued understanding and cooperation of the Japanese community and all concerned, I will do my utmost together with the members of the Embassy to fulfill our responsibilities.
I conclude my New Year’s message by wishing you all continued prosperity and happiness in the year ahead.
January 1, 2026
Rokuichiro MICHII
Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
I arrived in the Netherlands last December and am pleased to greet the New Year here for the first time. I would like to extend my warmest New Year’s greetings to you all.
Last year marked the 425th anniversary of Japan–Netherlands relations, and it was a year in which our friendly and cooperative ties were further strengthened with your support through many significant exchanges, including visits to Japan by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, Prime Minister Schoof, as well as many ministers, business missions, and other Dutch partners. In addition, the signing in December of the Japan–Netherlands Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA)—the first bilateral agreement between our two countries in the field of defense—served as a fitting conclusion to a year that demonstrated the expanding breadth of our cooperation.
Building upon these achievements, this year is expected to see further concrete progress in bilateral cooperation. In January, the MONO JAPAN FAIR 2026 and a concluding cultural program event for the Netherlands Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan are scheduled to be held in the Netherlands. In June, in addition to the annual Japan Festival, a Japan–Netherlands match in the opening round of the FIFA World Cup is also scheduled. Furthermore, beginning with the visit to Japan in January by State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman, various visits in a wide range of fields are expected between our two countries throughout the year. The Embassy of Japan looks forward to working closely with all of you to further promote Japan–Netherlands cooperation.
On the international stage, the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, as well as tensions in the Asia-Pacific region continue to warrant our close attention; and we have been seeing new developments in the Americas since the beginning of the year. Under these circumstances, the Embassy will continue to work closely with international organizations located in the Netherlands, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), with a view to addressing challenges faced by the international community, upholding fundamental values including the rule of law.
Within the Netherlands, following the ongoing coalition negotiations, a new government is expected to be formed at some point this year. Whichever choice might be made, Japan remains committed to further strengthening Japan–Netherlands relations.
With the continued understanding and cooperation of the Japanese community and all concerned, I will do my utmost together with the members of the Embassy to fulfill our responsibilities.
I conclude my New Year’s message by wishing you all continued prosperity and happiness in the year ahead.
January 1, 2026
Rokuichiro MICHII
Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands