Dubai: Japanese Consul-General, Matsunaga Daisuke, on Monday thanked the leadership and people of Dubai and UAE for their support for Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami last year.
Both natural disasters struck the northeast coast of the country in March last year, claiming more than 19,000 lives. The disasters also sparked a serious nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
“You gave heartfelt messages of support after the disaster last year. On behalf of our people, I want to thank you for your solidarity and for your kind offers of assistance,” Daisuke said, addressing the crowd at a gathering at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in celebration of the 79th birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Akihito.
Shaikh Hasher Bin Maktuom Al Maktuom, Director General of the Information Department, Dubai, attended the event alongside members of the Diplomatic Corps and the Japanese community.
“We are now making steady progress on the road to recovery, but your support has been a great help along the way,” the consul said.
Consul Daisuke and Shaikh Hasher led the ceremonial cutting of the cake to mark the occasion of the emperor’s birthday, which is a moveable national holiday depending on the reigning emperor’s date of birth.
Daisuke, who has been in the post since April, said he intends to learn more about the UAE culture. He urged everyone to do the same and learn about the Japanese culture as well.
“From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the modernity of Dubai… I was struck by the city-state’s openness, tolerance and safety. While I look forward to learning more about local culture and customs, I also want to introduce people to the charm and beauty of Japan,” Daisuke said.
Japan-UAE relations, according to Daisuke, will continue to flourish thanks to the recent meeting of Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba with Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister. The meeting resulted in two basic agreements namely increasing flights between Japan and UAE and eliminating double taxation to facilitate investment flow between two countries.
