Congratulatory Message for His Majesty the Emperor's Birthday
2022/2/23
Unlike Iceland, there is no “Independence Day” in Japan. February 11 is a national holiday called “National Foundation Day”, but not many people celebrate this day for some reason.
Japan’s Head of State is the "Emperor". It has been three years since His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019. Emperor Naruhito will become 62 years old on his birthday, February 23, and the day is largely celebrated as Japan's National Day, inside and outside the country.
As an ambassador, I represent the Japanese government and the people of Japan. Diplomatically speaking, I was appointed and dispatched by the Head of State, His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito to Iceland. Under the Japanese Constitution, the Emperor shall not have powers related to government, but looked upon as a symbol of the country.
Therefore, I would greatly appreciate it if you could celebrate His Majesty’s birthday as the birthday of “Japan”. (Of course, celebrating this day simply as the birthday of His Majesty is totally fine, too).
When I say “celebrating a birthday”, it is not just celebrating on getting older by one year. On this day, I want you to keep in mind that Japan is standing as an independent country and the people enjoy peace and prosperity. I want you to celebrate the fact with us. In spite of many historical challenges, Japan has developed as a nation with a rich culture that values democracy and peace. Many Japanese citizens enjoy the nation's economic prosperity and have important roles outside Japan. Japanese culture is well known and sought after all over the world, including Iceland. We have built peaceful and friendly relationships with other countries. That reminds us of all the help and cooperation we have received from other countries throughout the years with gratitude. I sincerely hope that Japan’s current prosperous state continues to grow in the future.
Of course, there are many challenges that must be overcome. Right now, the precarious security situation in Europe could threaten the regional peace. Japan's external security environment is also being challenged by factors of instability and we cannot be optimistic. Domestically, quite a few people suffer from financial difficulties and Japan is faced with various social challenges. When it comes to gender equality, Japan lags behind other advanced countries, needless to say, Iceland. The birthrate has been declining and the aging population continues to grow. In addition to these problems, we still must tackle the global climate crisis and make further efforts to realize a carbon-free society. We will need to tackle these domestic and foreign challenges one by one through international cooperation.
Iceland and Japan share the same resilience and have overcome various difficulties such as natural disasters and financial crises.
I am sure both countries will keep walking hand in hand in the future, too. Dear friends in Iceland, please look closely to see how Japan progresses!
Japan’s Head of State is the "Emperor". It has been three years since His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019. Emperor Naruhito will become 62 years old on his birthday, February 23, and the day is largely celebrated as Japan's National Day, inside and outside the country.
As an ambassador, I represent the Japanese government and the people of Japan. Diplomatically speaking, I was appointed and dispatched by the Head of State, His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito to Iceland. Under the Japanese Constitution, the Emperor shall not have powers related to government, but looked upon as a symbol of the country.
Therefore, I would greatly appreciate it if you could celebrate His Majesty’s birthday as the birthday of “Japan”. (Of course, celebrating this day simply as the birthday of His Majesty is totally fine, too).
When I say “celebrating a birthday”, it is not just celebrating on getting older by one year. On this day, I want you to keep in mind that Japan is standing as an independent country and the people enjoy peace and prosperity. I want you to celebrate the fact with us. In spite of many historical challenges, Japan has developed as a nation with a rich culture that values democracy and peace. Many Japanese citizens enjoy the nation's economic prosperity and have important roles outside Japan. Japanese culture is well known and sought after all over the world, including Iceland. We have built peaceful and friendly relationships with other countries. That reminds us of all the help and cooperation we have received from other countries throughout the years with gratitude. I sincerely hope that Japan’s current prosperous state continues to grow in the future.
Of course, there are many challenges that must be overcome. Right now, the precarious security situation in Europe could threaten the regional peace. Japan's external security environment is also being challenged by factors of instability and we cannot be optimistic. Domestically, quite a few people suffer from financial difficulties and Japan is faced with various social challenges. When it comes to gender equality, Japan lags behind other advanced countries, needless to say, Iceland. The birthrate has been declining and the aging population continues to grow. In addition to these problems, we still must tackle the global climate crisis and make further efforts to realize a carbon-free society. We will need to tackle these domestic and foreign challenges one by one through international cooperation.
Iceland and Japan share the same resilience and have overcome various difficulties such as natural disasters and financial crises.
I am sure both countries will keep walking hand in hand in the future, too. Dear friends in Iceland, please look closely to see how Japan progresses!