Ambassador Monji’s Official Visit to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador June 21-23, 2016

Mr. Kenjiro Monji, Ambassador of Japan, and his spouse, Mrs. Etsuko Monji, paid an official visit to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador from June 21 to 23, 2016. The Province is approximately 400,000 square kilometers in area, slightly larger than Japan (378.000 square kilometers). As of 2014, the population is about 527,000 people and there are approximately 80 Japanese-Canadians and 90 Japanese living in the Province. Mr. Hideaki Kuramitsu, Consul-General of Japan at Montreal, with his spouse Mrs. Kumi Kuramitsu, also paid an official visit to Newfoundland and Labrador with the Ambassador and attended meetings with government officials.

On June 22 in the capital city of St. John’s, Ambassador Monji met with The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, The Honourable Tom Osborne, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ms. Nancy Healey, Chief Executive Officer of St. John’s Board of Trade. Topics discussed during the meetings include the political and economic situations in Japan, Canada and the Province, and economic and cultural relations between Japan and Newfoundland and Labrador. They exchanged views on how to further strengthen cooperation and friendship between Japan and the Province.

Ambassador Monji, Premier Ball, Consul General Kuramitsu	Confederation Building at St. John’s

Consul General Kuramitsu, Speaker Osborne, Ambassador Monji	House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador

Consul General Kuramitsu, Honorary Consul General Young, Ms. Healey, Ambassador Monji

On June 22, Ambassador Monji visited the Memorial University of Newfoundland. After the meeting with Dr. Gary Kachanoski, President and Vice-chancellor of the University, Ambassador Monji attended the conferment ceremony of the Japanese decoration, Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, to Mr. Victor Leyland Young, Honorary Consul General of Japan in St. John’s. To celebrate this occasion, about 30 people including Mr. Young’s family and friends, acquaintances, and University executives attended the ceremony at the University. In their speeches, Ambassador Monji and Consul General Kuramitsu expressed their gratitude for Mr. Young’s longtime contributions as Honorary Consul General and offered congratulations for the decoration. In return, Mr. Young thanked them for the decoration and expressed his will to continue to reinforce relations between Japan and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ambassador Monji	Mr. Young and Ambassador Monji

Mr. Young and Ambassador Monji Mr. Young Group photos with guests

During his official visit to Newfoundland and Labrador, Ambassador Monji met with government officials and had fruitful exchanges of views on how to reinforce relationships between Japan and the Province and other various themes. In order to further strengthen the ties between the provinces of Canada and Japan, Ambassador Monji is planning to pay official visits to other provinces.