Bulgarian community gathers in Tokyo for the 3rd of March
08 March 2018 News
On the occasion of the National Day of Bulgaria, on the 3rd of March, 2018, the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo organized a meeting with Bulgarian expats in Japan: lecturers from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, the Waseda University, the University of Tsukuba, the Happy Science University of Chiba; graduate and doctoral students, exchange students at the National Graduate Institute of Political Science (GRIPS), employees of Japanese companies, a.o.
In his welcoming address to the participants in the meeting, Ambassador Borislav Kostov emphasized the significance of the 3rd of March in Bulgaria’s modern history, while also focusing on the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. He noted a few relevant aspects of the bilateral relations, the high-level visits exchanged between the two countries, as well as some important upcoming events between them.
On the 7th of March, 2018, the Bulgarian Ambassador hosted at his residence a reception honoring the Bulgarian National Day and this country’s rotational Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Over 160 guests were in attendance, among whom Manabu Horii, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mizuho Ōnuma, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare; the General Secretaries of the Group for Japanese-Bulgarian Friendship in the Upper and Lower Chamber of Parliament, Hiromi Yoshida and Kazunori Tanaka.
Among the guests were also ranking officials of various government ministries, of agencies funding research projects, mayors of municipalities maintaining ties with Bulgaria, diplomats, members of the business community, of academic and cultural circles, Bulgarian scholars, journalists, and former ambassadors of Japan to Bulgaria.
The reception kicked off with a performance of the national anthems of Japan and Bulgaria and welcoming addresses delivered by Ambassador Borislav Kostov, Manabu Horii, Hiromi Yoshida and Kazunori Tanaka.
In his address Ambassador Kostov emphasized the significance of the 3rd of March in the modern history of Bulgaria, while also focusing on the priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the upward development of relations between Bulgaria and Japan in various spheres, the recent session of the Joint Committee for Cooperation in Science and Technology. He placed an emphasis on the visit of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to Bulgaria, the first visit by a Japanese Prime Minister to this country, which has raised bilateral relations to a whole new level.
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