Reception for the 80th Birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan
On November 26th, 2013, Ambassador Norihiro Okuda and Madam Keiko Okuda hosted a reception held in honour of the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan at the Chateau Laurier. The reception was held in advance of His Majesty’s December 23rd birthday.
The reception was attended by a number of distinguished guests including: The Honourable John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs; The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade; The Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources; The Honourable John Duncan, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip; The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors); Mr. Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue; Mr. Andrew Saxton, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance; Mr. Pierre Lemieux, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture; and the Co-Chairs of the Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group Senator David Tkachuk and Mr. Mike Wallace. There were over 480 people in attendance including cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries, Canadian government officials, heads of diplomatic missions, Japanese nationals and members of the local Japanese community, journalists, and representatives from academia, cultural groups and business.
During the reception, guests enjoyed a live sushi preparation demonstration by the Ambassador’s chef, as well as the opportunity to take part in a sake tasting. A video showcasing Japanese culture and a special presentation of Japanese floral arrangements by Sub Grand Master of the Ohara School of Ikebana, Mr. Mitsugi Kikuchi, provided guests with a glimpse into Japanese life and culture. In addition, Paro, the Japanese robotic therapy seal, welcomed each guest as they arrived.
Following the singing of the Japanese and Canadian national anthems by Ms. Noriko Hashimoto, accompanied on the piano by Mr. Emil Azuma Prikryl, Ambassador Okuda delivered remarks in honour of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan’s 80th birthday. In his speech, he highlighted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s official visit to Canada in September of this year and he expressed his desire for further growth of the bilateral relationship between Japan and Canada.
In their speeches, Minister Baird and Minister Fast noted that Japan and Canada share fundamental values and enjoy mutual benefits from their strong trade and investment relationship. They also remarked upon the vibrant people-to-people exchanges that exist between the two countries across a variety of fields. Following the remarks, guests participated in the sake barrel opening ceremony, “Kagami Biraki,” during which they expressed their collective hope for further deepening and growth of the bilateral relationship between Japan and Canada.
Link to Ambassador Okuda’s speech |
