Letter from Ambassador in October Greenland revisited (Vol.2 “reporting”)
Dear Friends,
I hope that this letter finds you well in a time of autumn rain.
Here in Copenhagen, autumn is coloring the whole town. We can certainly feel it not only through red and yellow colors of leaves, but also from families enjoying mushroom picking in the forests and “potato holidays” originally intended for children to help their parents with the harvest. On politics, in early October, Folketinget (Danish parliament) was opened by Her Majesty the Queen Margrethe II. Now political campaigns toward the municipalities’ election on 16 November are under way.
I participated in the trip to Greenland organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Home Rule Government of Greenland between 28 September and 1 October. Together with 38 Ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom of Denmark, I saw and heard new Greenlandic foreign and economic policies designed by H.E. Mr. Múte Bourup EGEDE, Premier and Foreign Minister of Greenland, who has inaugurated his government since the victory in the election in April this year. I would like to briefly share my account with you as I promised in my letter in September.
Kangerlussuaq Airport in Greenland: Tokyo 10 hours, Copenhagen 4 hours, New York 4hours
1. Greeting from Premier Egede of Greenland
Greeting by Premier Egede of Greenland Office of Premier in Nuuk Reindeer meat at dinner
I would like to briefly share my account with you as I promised in my letter in September. ” Greenland attaches importance to cooperation with the international community and Greenland would like to deepen mutual understanding with respective countries in the world through Arctic collaboration.”
Premier Egede greeted the diplomatic corps at the dinner he hosted for us. They said that it is high on the agenda that Greenland will diversify its economy, building upon its major fishery industry by newly starting businesses such as mining of rare earth, developments of infrastructure like expansion of the airports among others. On top of that, Greenland is willing to address the climate change. They are promoting renewable energy such as wind and hydro power, aiming ambitiously to enhance more use of renewable energy up to 90%.
Statue of Hans Egede in Nuuk
Greenland is a member of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 2009, Her Majesty the Queen Margrethe II handed the Act on Greenland Self-Government. The preamble of the Act stipulates that “recognizing that the people of Greenland is a people to international law with the right of self-determination, the Act is based on a wish to foster equality and mutual respect in the partnership between Denmark and Greenland. Accordingly, the Act is based on an agreement between Greenland Government and the Danish Government as equal partners.” The areas which Greenland cannot take over under Self-Government status are as follows;
b) Citizenship
c) The Supreme Court
d) Foreign, defense and security policy
e) Currency and monetary policy
As for foreign policy, Chapter 4 of the Act stipulates that; a) the Greenlandic Government may act in international affairs in agreement with the Danish Government, b) still be cooperation between Greenland and Denmark on safe-guarding each other’s interests and the Kingdoms interests, c) the Danish authorities have constitutional responsibility – foreign and security policy matters are affairs of the Realm, and d) the Greenlandic Government may negotiate and conclude agreements under international law with foreign states and international organizations, including administrative agreements which exclusively concern Greenland and entirely relate to fields of responsibility taken over.
2 Cooperation between Japan and Greenland
There are three most impressive accounts that I listened carefully to contemplate future relations between Greenland and Japan.
(1) Perspective of fishery trade with Royal Greenland
Royal Greenland’s major export items, prawn, halibut, cods among others (September 2021) Royal Greenland’s headquarter (February 2020)
Mr. Jens Lyberth, Royal Greenland’s senior management member explained that Japan had been the largest consumer of Royal Greenland’s products since 1990’s however recently the consumption in China increased rapidly. When I visited Royal Greenland with some colleagues of Japanese companies in February 2020, I asked their perspective to further diversify the traditional export of prawn, halibut and cod to Japan by adding sea urchin and sea cucumber. This time I asked the same question, to which the answer was that diversification of export items would be an effective strategy if relevant technologies would develop within the company. Later on my Danish colleague suggested that Japan could commercially make its relevant technologies for sea urchin export from Greenland.
（2）Business perspective of Royal Arctic
Presentation by Royal Arctic (September 2021) View of port from the headquarter of Royal Arctic (February 2020)
Another impressive remark was from Mr. Verner Hammeken, CEO, Royal Arctic who answered my question and told us that it might take 10-15 years to see the commercialization of Arctic sea route. It would require assisting boat to break ice. If commercialized, merit would be a drastic shortening of distance and time to Asian markets. This perspective was interesting and will make us continue to think potential of our future economic relations with Greenland
（3）Ilulissat and tsunami
Briefing in Ilulissat on tsunami, administration and tourism
I had never expected to hear the word tsunami (big wave) in Greenland. However, Mr. Jens Ole Nathanielsen, First Deputy Mayor in Ilulissat began his presentation with a short film of tsunami in 2017 and stated that one of the most important political challenges was how to address tsunami. In Japan tsunami is caused by earthquake and in Ilulissat it is done by collapse of glacier and avalanche. I wanted to understand measures taken against tsunami in Ilulissat and it was explained that measures had been limited to modification of restricted zones for pedestrians and so on. Since then, I have repeated a question in my mind if or not there would be relevant data and technologies to enable an early warning out of the achievements of scientific studies carried out through collaborations by Japan and Denmark in the past many years.
3 Promotion of tourism
UNESCO Natural Heritage the glasir Sermeq Kujalleq
I could hardly finish this letter without mentioning promotion of tourism. It is an important aspect of our future relations between Greenland and Japan. Ilulissat Icefjord Centre was opened in summer 2021. Looking down the glacier Sermeq Kujalleq, which was inscribed as UNESCO natural heritage in 2004, visitors can learn the history of glacier of 4000 years, organize exhibition, and attend conferences. The Centre is equipped with all the necessary facilities. Her Majesty the Queen Margrethe II also honored the Center with her presence in October. Promotion of tourism is the important policy of Self Government of Greenland. There are proceeding constructions of hotels and expansion of airports in Nuuk and Ilulissat. They say that tourists can enjoy beauty of nature, during summer white night, sailing, kayaking, whale watching and during winter northern light, dog sledding among others. Seeing is believing. When COVID-19 will be managed in near future, I would recommend that the Japanese readers of this letter would visit Greenland.
Ilulissat Icefjord Centre Ice from glacier
Finally, I would like to reiterate my sincere gratitude for such precious opportunity to the members of the host, the Self Government of Greenland and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, people of Nuuk and Ilulissat who warmly received us and all those who helped organizing the trip.
I wish the readers of this letter well and look forward to seeing you somewhere in Denmark or on this page next month.
| Yours sincerely, |
| MIYAGAWA Manabu |
| Embassy of Japan in the Kingdom of Denmark |
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