Ambassador Inomata during Japan Self-Defence Forces Day.
On June 26th, 2018, the Embassy of Japan organized a reception in order to celebrate the 64th anniversary of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. For this occasion, H.E. Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata, his spouse Midori, and the Embassy’s staff welcomed a great number of Ambassadors and military attachées in the Ambassador’s residence.
Nine years had passed since the catastrophic end of World War II, when on July 1st, 1954, Japan retook full responsibilities for its security and established the Japan Self-Defense Forces. For the 64th anniversary of this event, the Embassy of Japan organized a reception at the Ambassador’s residence. A large number of guests attended the event, including many Ambassadors and military attachées from the Embassies in The Hague.
The guests were warmly welcomed at their arrival at the residence’s entrance, and were accompanied in the mansion’s main salon. There, H.E. Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata delivered a speech to celebrate the Japan Self-Defense Forces Day.
The Ambassador stressed the nature of Japan as a “peace-loving nation,” pursuing a policy of “proactive contribution to peace” not only for Japan, but also for Asia and the whole world. In this framework, he highlighted the pivotal role of not only deterrence, but also international cooperation.
As for this latter, H.E. Mr. Inomata noted Japan’s contribution in international peace cooperation efforts, with the participation in about 30 missions since the first dispatch of troops in Cambodia in 1992. More in particular, the Ambassador highlighted the efforts for enhancing bilateral military cooperation between Japan and the Netherlands. While the December 2016 memorandum on defense cooperation already strengthened the military partnership between the two countries, the Ambassador announced that further developments should be expected in the future.
H.E. Mr. Inomata also decided to spend a few words on the recent developments in the Korean peninsula. He expressed his country’s hope that North Korea will take “concrete measures for denuclearization in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner,” while also stressing Japan’s desire to “cooperate closely with the related countries.”
Concluding his speech, the Ambassador mentioned some of the fundamental values of Japan and the Netherlands, such as “freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law,” hoping that this convergence will lead to enhanced cooperation “for the sake of peace and stability in the world.”
The guests were then encouraged to enjoy the reception. The topics for conversation among those presents were many, ranging from Japan’s role in Asia to the ongoing OPCW Fourth Special Session of Conference of the States Parties. Such conversations were accompanied by several rounds of exquisite sake, sushi, and a variety of Japanese traditional dishes, enjoyed by the participants alongside their conversations.
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Pictures by the Embassy of Japan in the Netherlands
