Japan and Brunei Darussalam celebrated the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and then Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to designate 2024 as the “Japan-Brunei Friendship Year” during the summit-meeting held in Tokyo last December. His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman also made an official visit to Japan in March to inaugurate the “Friendship Year”.
This year, the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam hosted more events than ever to present both traditional and modern Japanese culture in Brunei. The events included a Photo Exhibition of Japan, the Japanese Speech Contest, a Cultural Showcase by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Ikebana flower arrangement workshops, the first-ever Japanese Food Fair, Japanese Film Festival, the annual Japanese Culture Festival, and a Contemporary Art Exhibition.
People-to-people exchanges between Japan and Brunei have also flourished, with more than 60 youth participating in programmes such as the JENESYS Program, the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth, and MEXT Scholarship Programme. Unique to this year was an exchange programme focused on sports, agriculture and Japanese food, fostering deeper cultural and educational connections. Additionally, the short-stay visa exemption period was extended from 14 to 30 days for Japanese and Bruneian nationals starting December 10, 2024. We hope that travelers between our countries will enjoy their stay even more after the extension.
As this commemorative year draws to a close, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the people of Brunei for celebrating the Japan-Brunei Friendship Year with us. We are determined to work together with the people and government of Brunei to further strengthen the friendship between our two nations.
