Letter from Ambassador in December - “Looking back the year 2021, Reiwa 3rd in the Kingdom of Denmark”
Dear Friends,
I hope that this letter will find you well after Christmas. How were your Christmas holidays and how has this year been for you?
For me this year has been somehow manageable thanks to friends and lessons learnt on how to handle situation and myself, despite the continued COVID-19 and all the difficulties and frustrations about such a gap between what it should be and what it has been both in life and work. (at least, I try to think in that manner.)
The number of visitors from Japan has decreased. However, through a year, thanks to friends and colleagues I have been searching for various opportunities to build on the long-time exchanges and friendship between Denmark and Japan, making myself deeply rooted in the Kingdom.
With the members of the Danish Emergency Management Agency(DEMA) to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March at the Residence
10 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. Around 11 March, various Danish friends in small groups due to COVID-19 consideration kindly visited the residence of Japanese Ambassador, including the members of the DEMA who flew to Japan for rescue coordination 10 years ago immediately after the Earthquake. The Embassy of Japan reiterated gratitude to those Danish friends in front of the painting “Fukushima 2011” (please see the above photo) by Mr. NAKAHARA Yoshiki, a Japanese painter who has been active for many years in Denmark. Ms. SAKURAGI Yumiko, President of the Japanese Association in Denmark, Mr. MIYASHITA Hajime, Vice President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Denmark together with Embassy staff sent out a video message to express sincere condolence to the victims and their bereaved family members and wished our hope for reconstruction of Fukushima and the affected areas.
Foreign Ministers meeting at Iikura House in Tokyo in November
Looking back the ministerial visits between Denmark and Japan, in August, H.E. Mr. Rasmus Prehn, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries on behalf of Minister for Culture (in charge of sports) participated in the Tokyo Olympic Games. In September, H.E. Ms. Ane Halsboe-Jorgensen, Minister for Culture visited Japan for the Paralympic Games. Most recently, in November, H.E. Mr. Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister visited Japan and met H.E. Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Foreign Minister and the other Japanese colleagues from both government and private sectors in person. Foreign Minister Kofod discussed the issues of common interests such as “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”, economic relations between Denmark and Japan, people to people exchanges among others. Despite changing border measures and restrictions about COVID-19, the fact that such physical meetings took place was so significant. Diplomacy in person has been realized between our two countries.
In relations to Greenland, I had an opportunity to be received by H. E. Mr. Mute Bourup Egede, Prime Minister of Greenland during the joint visit by the Ambassadors from Copenhagen in September. Furthermore, the representatives of the Faroe Islands steadfastly kept dialogue with us for our future cooperation.
Ms. IKEHARA Ayaka, the handball player for the national team of Japan
I have always thought that both the Danes and the Japanese share the strong sentiments towards the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Before the Tokyo Games, the Danish media reported in detail the tough public opinion in Japan against the Games. Knowing such perceptions in Japan, so many Danish friends still told us “Japan did make it. It was an excellent game.” I felt grateful for such positive remarks. Denmark also achieved wonderful results. The Danish athletes won the medals for badminton, cycling, sailing among others and went to the finals in so many competitions.
Incidentally, the host of Olympic and Paralympic Games are given another opportunity. That was why Japan hosted Tokyo Nutrition Summit in December, succeeding the tradition which began at London Olympic Games in 2012. Tokyo Summit addressed the issue of “double burdens of malnutrition”, i. e. shortage of foods in developing countries and overnutrition in developed countries, attaining solution and broad direction through international cooperation. There were unprecedented more than 200 stakeholders’ participation and more than 300 commitments were announced. From Denmark, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Prehn participated and emphasized the importance of sustainable dietary.
With H. E. Mr. Bertel Haarder, Member of Parliament and Mrs. Birgitte Haarder
This year has witnessed a series of the conferment of the orders for those who have contributed immensely to enrich the friendly relations between Denmark and Japan. H. E. Mr. Bertel Haarder, who has served some Ministerial posts such as education, immigration and culture among others, was bestowed the order for his constant supports for the educational exchanges between Denmark and Japan through Tokai University and for his instrumental role to promote the EU-Japan parliamentary exchanges. Ms. Mette Holm was honored for her many translations of Japanese literature into Danish language including the works of MURAKAMI Haruki and so on. Mr. MITSUMA Kei was recognized for his service with the Embassy of Japan for 27 years and his contribution to deepen cultural exchanges between our two countries.
The deepest foundation and the driving force of our enhanced ties between Denmark and Japan must be the exchanges between municipalities and regions of the two countries. To name a few, Odense and Funabashi, Kolding and Anjo, Gladsaxe and Taito, Klaksvik (Faroes Islands) and Taiji, Soro and Wakuya, Naestved and Narita, Faaborg-Midfyn and Noboribetsu, Frederikshavn and Hidaka and Mihama, Silkeborg and Kama have enjoyed sister cities or similar close arrangements. Furthermore, at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Japanese cities such as Sakaide and Marugame, Otsu, Ogata, Nagano, Higashi Matsuyama, Nihonmatsu, and Nerima became Host Town to promote exchanges with Denmark. I was fortunately able to meet almost all the mayors of the above-mentioned Danish cities and visited these places. One of the most unforgettable meetings was the online conversations in February followed by a physical meeting in August with Mayor Birgit Hansen from Frederikshavn, which allowed me to reiterate the Japanese gratitude and tribute to Mr. Johannes Knudsen, Chief Engineer of Ellen Maersk, who lost his life in his rescue attempt into the coldest water for Japanese fishermen off the coast of Wakayama on 10 February 1957. Our heart will remain with him and his bereaved family and relatives. Mayor and I also touched upon future exchanges between Frederikshavn and Japan. I did feel that I had been so close to the foundation of our heart-to-heart exchanges between Denmark and Japan.
Opening ceremony of the exhibition for the works by Ms. Yuko Takada Keller (Photo from Ms. Yuko Takada Keller)
Sadly enough, as of 19th of December due to COVID-19, Denmark has again closed theatres, museums, cultural institutions and so on until 16 January. I recall various Japanese artists and athletes who have performed and encouraged both Japanese and Danish people here through this year such as Ms. Makiko Hirabayashi, pianist and composer, who won the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2021, Jazz Release of the Year, Ms. Yuko Takada Keller, who has introduced Japanese culture and concepts where paper, space and the invisible play an important role for many years, Mr. Toshiyuki Kamioka, Principle Conductor of Copenhagen Philharmonic, Ms. Miho Hazama, Principle Conductor of DR Big Band and composer who have regularly traveled to Denmark to perform, Ms. Ayaka Ikehara, a handball player who plays for Odense and represented the Japanese national team for the Tokyo Olympic Games (her letter contributed to the Embassy HP in Japanese. https://www.dk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/kankei-monogatari_5.html) and so on. We believe that we will see an early reopening of society next year and everyone will be able to see, listen to and feel these artists’ and athletes’ wonderful performances.
Thank you for your supports and cooperation through the year 2021 and I wish you a happy new year.
| Yours sincerely, |
| MIYAGAWA Manabu |
| Embassy of Japan in the Kingdom of Denmark |
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