Kuwait's embassy in Tokyo celebrates National Day

The Kuwaiti Embassy in Tokyo held a large reception Thursday evening on the occasion of Kuwait's 47th National Day, bringing more than 500 guests including former Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma and Yuriko Koike. High-ranking officials, political, military and parliamentary figures, businessmen, academics and diplomats as well as representatives of the Japan-Kuwait Society also attended the ceremony.
Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdul Rahman Al-Otaibi congratulated on this occasion His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti people.
Pointing out that amicable bilateral relations started economic exchanges in the 1950s, the ambassador stressed the two geographically distant countries became very close in terms of trade and economy, saying, "Over the years natural resources in our region became indispensable for the Japanese economy, while Japanese products became an indispensable part of our lifestyle." "Soon our relations started to exceed the pattern of merely trading and headed towards truly special relations, due to the unique roles that Kuwait and Japan developed for themselves," the ambassador noted.
"Japan became a positive leader on the world stage after the World War II, and Kuwait has been a reliable element of stability and moderation of the Middle East. "Kuwait used its rich resources not only for its own advancement but also to support the economic and social development of other countries around the world," he said, adding that the two countries share a view of the world that go beyond region, religion, or race. The friendly relations between Kuwait and Japan have been expressed through important visits by top level leaders of the two countries, the ambassador underlined.
Last year, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the first visit by a Japanese leader to Kuwait, where he met with H.H. the Amir and visited the Japanese forces based in Kuwait. "I was moved by the warmth that surrounded the talks between the two countries and their commitment to further enhance relations, which was expressed by Premier Abe's wish for establishing "strategic multilayered relations" between the two countries that go beyond trade and enhance exchange and mutual understanding in the scientific, academic, cultural and artistic fields," Al-Otaibi said.
Given that Kuwait has lowered tax on foreign companies to 15 percent and other economic policies which Kuwait has taken with the aim of becoming a regional financial center, he welcomed Japanese firms and businesspersons taking the initiative to pioneer foreign investments under the new circumstances in his country.
The ceremony was also attended by Kuwait's First Secretary Khaled Al-Mutairi and Second Secretary Mohammad Al-Mutairi.
During the ceremony, the embassy held an exhibition displaying Kuwaiti heritage and culture such as traditional handicrafts and paintings, and distributed the latest issue of Japan-Kuwait Society's newsletters to guests.