The Japan-Qatar Friendship Association hosted a reception on Tuesday afternoon Nov 20, 2018, at the new Otani Hotel in Tokyo, in honor of H.E. Mr. Hassan bin Mohammed Rafi Al Emadi, on his appointment as Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Japan, and for welcoming him as honorary president of the Association.

The ceremony was attended by many political leaders, led by H.E. Mr. Tadahiko Ito, Member of the House of Representatives and former Minister of State for Environment, the Secretary General of the Japan Parliamentary Association for Friendship with the state of Qatar. Some senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and industry of Japan, 100 Japanese business leaders, representatives of Japanese companies operating in the State of Qatar, and members of the embassy.

At the beginning of the ceremony, His Excellency addressed the participants expressing thanks and appreciation for this gesture and initiative, which reflects the depth of friendship and the keenness of the Japanese side to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation with Qatar. He noted that in the State of Qatar, we highly value the role of the Japan-Qatar Friendship Association in strengthening relations between the two countries over decades. He stressed his keenness to continue working closely with the members of the Association to develop economic ties, strengthen ties of cooperation and friendship and serve the common interests of our two friendly countries and peoples.

His Excellency valued the role of the companies in promoting economic relations, which are the backbone of our increasingly diversified bilateral ties. He stressed that we are counting on the part of this association to encourage more Japanese companies to intensify their participation in the comprehensive development projects implemented by the State of Qatar.

He noted that, due to the contributions of these companies, relations had become more interdependent and continue to evolve towards a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Mr. Ito, Mr. Toshio Meta, chairman of Chubo Energy company and chairman of the Friendship Association, and Mr. Satoro Katsono, president of Chubo energy company also addressed the ceremony. The speakers expressed their thanks and appreciation to the leadership and people of Qatar for their decades-long contribution to providing stable energy supply, and for the generous humanitarian gesture of supporting the reconstruction efforts of the areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan in 2011. They stressed their keenness to strengthen trade and investment links with Qatar further.

The Japan-Qatar Friendship Association established in 1976 with the aim of strengthening the bonds of friendship, promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the State of Qatar and Japan, and to deepen mutual understanding between the two countries.

While the Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Japan is the honorary president of the Association, the leaders of the major Japanese companies, which have economic interests with the State of Qatar, take the position of executive chairman of the Association.

Currently, the association has some 47 major companies working in the field of oil, gas and petrochemicals, trade, transport and shipping, engineering and construction, heavy and other industries, as well as many banking institutions and insurance companies. From the Qatari side, Qatar Airways and Doha Bank are members of the association.

The association carries out many activities that contribute to the development of relations of cooperation and friendship between the two countries. It is responsible for sponsoring and supporting all events in the two countries intending to strengthening the bonds of friendship, promoting economic and cultural exchanges and deepening understanding and communication between the two countries.