Farewell Message from Ambassador Fukushima
2024/12/20
I am concluding my duty as Ambassador of Japan to Barbados and returning to Japan shortly. During my remaining days on this lovely island, I have been reflecting on my favorite song, “Beautiful Barbados”. Barbados is truly an amazing county, which has gifted me with many gems of my own, through its culture, wonderful people and the strong bonds forged through the Embassy of Japan in Barbados.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1967, Japan and Barbados have built a friendship grounded in the shared values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. Our two countries have collaborated at various international fora including the UN. Both being island nations, Japan and Barbados have cooperated to overcome vulnerabilities vis-à-vis climate change and natural disasters. For example, Japan has supported the efforts of Barbados through JICA’s capacity building in the fields of disaster management, renewable energy and most recently, in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, resilience building at the fishery and port facilities. Japan has also cooperated with Barbados and neighboring Caribbean countries through multilateral organizations such as the UNDP to improve Sargassum Management Capacities and the Inter-American Development Bank for Coastal Zone Management.
I am happy with the high level exchanges between Japan and Barbados which took place during my tenure. For example, the year 2023 was marked by the historic visit to Barbados by then Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, in May, when he met with Prime Minister the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade the Honourable Kerrie Symmonds. In September, PM Mottley met with Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, then Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Other exchanges included the visit of the Honourable Kirk Humphrey, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs and a delegation, to Japan to observe the country’s advances in welfare services and meet with Japanese leaders. Last week Minister Symmonds and a delegation travelled to Japan to attend the Japan-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Consultation.
At the educational level, Professor Clive Landis, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UWI Cave Hill Campus visited Japan at the invitation of the APIC (Association of Promotion of International Cooperation). In addition to the existing programs such as the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program and the Japanese Government (Mombusho) Scholarship, a new opportunity for graduate students of the UWI has been created to study at Sophia University with cooperation between the two universities and the APIC. In September this year, a Japanese Language class started at the BCC after the commencement of their Game Art and Animation Course.
The year 2024, when Barbados joins the region in celebration of Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year, has been a watershed, as the Embassy hosted a series of cultural events, all of which were well attended gatherings ranging from the widely popular Japan Festival, Film Festival and Jiutamai Dance and Music events to an Anime Seminar and the Judo x Inclusion demonstration and discussion. The response from these events was extremely promising and we look forward to more engagement with the Barbadian public in the near future.
In the past eight years since the establishment of our resident Embassy we have witnessed great progress in the broadening and deepening of the bilateral relationship. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to you for your kind support and cooperation and ask for your continued support to my successor, who is arriving shortly. It has been a true pleasure, as well as a privilege to meet and work with all of you.
Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes for the holiday season and for the upcoming New Year.
December 2024
FUKUSHIMA Kayoko
Ambassador of Japan to Barbados
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1967, Japan and Barbados have built a friendship grounded in the shared values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. Our two countries have collaborated at various international fora including the UN. Both being island nations, Japan and Barbados have cooperated to overcome vulnerabilities vis-à-vis climate change and natural disasters. For example, Japan has supported the efforts of Barbados through JICA’s capacity building in the fields of disaster management, renewable energy and most recently, in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, resilience building at the fishery and port facilities. Japan has also cooperated with Barbados and neighboring Caribbean countries through multilateral organizations such as the UNDP to improve Sargassum Management Capacities and the Inter-American Development Bank for Coastal Zone Management.
I am happy with the high level exchanges between Japan and Barbados which took place during my tenure. For example, the year 2023 was marked by the historic visit to Barbados by then Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, in May, when he met with Prime Minister the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade the Honourable Kerrie Symmonds. In September, PM Mottley met with Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, then Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Other exchanges included the visit of the Honourable Kirk Humphrey, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs and a delegation, to Japan to observe the country’s advances in welfare services and meet with Japanese leaders. Last week Minister Symmonds and a delegation travelled to Japan to attend the Japan-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Consultation.
At the educational level, Professor Clive Landis, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UWI Cave Hill Campus visited Japan at the invitation of the APIC (Association of Promotion of International Cooperation). In addition to the existing programs such as the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program and the Japanese Government (Mombusho) Scholarship, a new opportunity for graduate students of the UWI has been created to study at Sophia University with cooperation between the two universities and the APIC. In September this year, a Japanese Language class started at the BCC after the commencement of their Game Art and Animation Course.
The year 2024, when Barbados joins the region in celebration of Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year, has been a watershed, as the Embassy hosted a series of cultural events, all of which were well attended gatherings ranging from the widely popular Japan Festival, Film Festival and Jiutamai Dance and Music events to an Anime Seminar and the Judo x Inclusion demonstration and discussion. The response from these events was extremely promising and we look forward to more engagement with the Barbadian public in the near future.
In the past eight years since the establishment of our resident Embassy we have witnessed great progress in the broadening and deepening of the bilateral relationship. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to you for your kind support and cooperation and ask for your continued support to my successor, who is arriving shortly. It has been a true pleasure, as well as a privilege to meet and work with all of you.
Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes for the holiday season and for the upcoming New Year.
December 2024
FUKUSHIMA Kayoko
Ambassador of Japan to Barbados