Japan plans big for year 2022 to celebrate 70th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations with India
The year 2022 has been themed as "Building a future for our Centenary," hoping that the dreams and hopes of Japanese and Indian friends across generations shall continue to develop together until the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and beyond.
NEW DELHI: As the year 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India, Japan has decided to commemorate this year with a series of cross-cultural and business events in India and Japan in a big way.
For this, Japan has also announced the theme of the year 2022 as “Building a future for our Centenary” when the people of India are likely to witness wonderful and memorable events on culture, arts, sports, education, tourism, economy, and sciences throughout the year.
The exchange between India and Japan is said to have begun in the 6th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan, Indian culture, filtered through Buddhism, and it had a great impact on Japanese culture, and this is the source of the Japanese people’s sense of closeness to India.
Japan and India had signed a peace treaty and established diplomatic relations on April 28, 1952. This treaty was one of the first peace treaties Japan signed after World War II.
However, the year 2022 also holds significance in the context of Japan and Southeast Asia as this year marks the completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations simultaneously with Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as well. Next year, Japan also completes 50 years of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh and the Maldives.
Therefore, Japan has also designated 2022 as “Japan-Southwest Asia Exchange Year” with the aim of taking Japan’s relations with the seven countries of Southwest Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) to new heights.
In its bid to organize a series of events during the next year starting in January, the Japanese government has constituted an Executive Committee consisting Embassy of Japan in India, Japanese Association Delhi, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India (JCCII), Japan Foundation New Delhi, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) New Delhi Office, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) India Office, and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Delhi Office.
Ambassador of Japan to India Satoshi Suzuki chairs the Executive Committee that has serious plans in its kitty to offer a lot of wonderful and memorable opportunities in the Indo-Japanese context in 2022.
The Executive Committee has also decided the theme of the year 2022 as “Building a future for our Centenary,” hoping that the dreams and hopes of both Japanese and Indian friends across generations shall continue to develop together until the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India and beyond.
Through various events to commemorate the year 2022, Japan sincerely hopes people in India will have a memorial and special time and feel strong ties between Japan and India, and Japan wishes to share memorable occasions with Indian friends.
The Executive Committee of the 70th Anniversary of Japan-India Diplomatic Relations encourages proposals for a wide range of events celebrating the Year of Japan-India Friendly Exchanges.
In 2022, Japan will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh, as well as with the Maldives, and 70 years with India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It has designated 2022 as “Japan-Southwest Asia Exchange Year” with the aim of taking Japan’s relations with the seven countries of Southwest Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) to new heights.
The Government of Japan will be endorsing a wide range of events taking place in Japan or Southwest Asia as commemorative events celebrating the Japan-Southwest Asia Exchange Year.
The events during the year 2022 will aim to deepen mutual understanding and promote friendship between Japan and one or multiple Southwest Asian countries in a wide range of areas such as culture, arts, sports, education, tourism, economy, and sciences.
These events would take place in Japan or Southwest Asian countries during 2022 and could be witnessed in late 2021 or early 2023 also as extended celebrations.
