The Embassy of Japan hosted the National Day Reception on 15 February in Baghdad

On the evening of February 15, the Ambassador of Japan to Iraq, Mr. Futoshi MATSUMOTO, hosted in Baghdad the Japanese National Day Reception, in the presence of Her Excellency Ms. Evan Faek Gabro, Minister of Migration and Displacement, as well as a number of officials, Ambassadors, and other distinguished guests to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. His Majesty is turning 64 years old on February 23. 

The ceremony began with the playing of the national anthems of Japan and Iraq, followed by a minute of silence to pray for the victims of the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the earthquake in the Noto Peninsula in Japan. Ambassador Matsumoto delivered a speech in which he quoted the words of His Majesty the Emperor to begin the new year, where he said, “I would like to offer my sympathy to the people in Japan impacted by earthquakes, heavy rains, typhoons and snowstorms. My heart aches for the many lives lost in the wars and conflicts around the world. These events once again remind me of the importance of striving for mutual understanding and cooperation in order to build a peaceful world. I hope that people will continue to support one another with compassion and the coming year will be a bright and hopeful one for people in our country and worldwide.” 

Her Excellency Ms. Evan Gabro also delivered a speech in which she emphasized the depth of the historical relations between the two countries and Iraq’s desire to strengthen these relations and benefit from Japanese expertise in various fields. 

Please find here the full text of the Ambassador’s speech here.