As Brunei Darussalam and Japan celebrate 40 years of friendship in 2024, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam looked forward to continuing work in further enhancing the goodwill and friendship between both countries and people.
In this regard, His Majesty extended an invitation to Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida and spouse Yuko Kishida to Brunei Darussalam for an official visit and wished the prime minister and the government of Japan all the best in hosting the World Expo 2025 in Osaka successfully.
His Majesty attended a working lunch with the Japanese prime minister at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo yesterday.
Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
During the working lunch, His Majesty delivered a titah expressing appreciation to be able to make an official visit to Japan, at the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit. His Majesty also conveyed warmest congratulations to Prime Minister Kishida and the government of Japan in hosting the Commemorative Summit.
His Majesty and Prime Minister Kishida also expressed hope for the important ties between the Sultanate and Japan will be further strengthened by the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office to Japan in March 2024, highlighting that the visit is timely as both countries will celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations and Brunei-Japan Friendship Year in 2024.
His Majesty and the Japanese prime minister welcomed the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei Darussalam and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan on the realisation of energy transition’ during His Majesty’s official visit to Japan, in further strengthening energy cooperation between both countries.
His Majesty also expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued support towards the ASEAN Climate Change Centre, as well as the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS), the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) scholarships in fostering better friendship and understanding, in which this support was also echoed by Prime Minister Kishida.
In addition, bilateral cooperation areas such as in the fields of defence and maritime as well as regional and international matters including the development of ASEAN-Japan dialogue relations as well as the situation in Palestine were also discussed.
At the end of the working lunch, a joint press statement between the Sultanate and Japan was issued.
Diplomatic relations between Brunei Darussalam and Japan were established on April 2, 1984.
The two countries share warm and friendly relations through cooperation in the areas of energy, trade and investment, education and people-to-people exchanges.
