From Ambassador

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Photo from www.mbl.is


It is with deep sorrow that I inform you that H.E. Mr. Ingimundur Sigfusson, who served as Iceland’s Ambassador to Japan during the years 2001-2004, passed away recently. As a matter of fact, from 1958 Iceland had appointed its Ambassadors to Japan , but Mr. Sigfússon was Iceland’s first resident Ambassador to Japan.
 
Mr. Sigfússon began his career as a businessman and served for many years as the CEO of Hekla corporation, an import company for Japanese and German motorcars, which was founded by his father. Building on this experience, he later turned a diplomat and became the Ambassador of Iceland to Germany, and then to Japan.
 
While serving as the Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Sigfússon contributed greatly towards strengthening bilateral diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries. He was deeply interested in Japanese cultural traditions, including “Kabuki”, “Sumo wrestling”, “Sado (tea ceremony)” and “Kado (flower arrangement)”. At the same time, he did a fantastic job of promoting Iceland in Japan, which eventually led to the three-fold increase of Japanese tourists to Iceland.
 
Even after his retirement, he continued to engage in a variety of activities. He served on the boards of the Sasakawa and Watanabe scholarship programs and contributed greatly to the further enhancement of bilateral relations, serving as a bridge between Iceland and Japan.
 
Recognizing his outstanding service, the Japanese government decided to award him the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star in 2016 and I had the honor of presenting the distinguished medal to him at the National Day reception, held few days after my arrival.
 
Even after that, Mr. Sigfússon continued to take time out of his busy schedule to participate in the various Japan-related events, and extended to me an invaluable warm guidance, saying that he felt a special kinship to me because we shared a similar career of becoming Ambassadors after working for the private companies.
 
Since he was a man who loved people and nature, and was always full of passion, he was respected and loved by many people, regardless of nationality. He also loved Japanese sake and his delightful sense of humor often exhibited after a few sips of sake was entertaining to us all. I will never forget his warm smile.
 
In Iceland as an outstanding businessman and diplomat; in Japan as our dearest friend who loved Japan, Mr. Sigfússon will forever be remembered in our hearts and minds, as well as in the diplomatic history between our two countries.
 
I pray from the bottom of my heart that his soul may rest in peace and wish to extend my sincere condolences to his family.