Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko to come to Romania
Date: 11-05-2009Prince Akishino, the second son of Japan emperor Akihito and his wife Princess Kiko make between 18 – 22 May an official visit to Romania at the invitation of president Traian Basescu, the Japan embassy informs. According to the quoted source, during the month of May, on the occasion of “ Japan-Danube Friendship Year 2009” Prince and Princess Akishino visit Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.
Japan’s embassy to Bucharest, Yoshinobu Higashi announced since January the visit for May to Romania of prince Akishino ( Fumihito), the second son of emperor Akihito together with her wife. Japan’s ambassador to Bucharest stated that during 2009 Japan will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relationships between Japan and Romania, occasion on which the Japanese embassy will organize a series of cultural and social events. The ambassador revised the bilateral relations, of collaboration and cooperation in the political, economic and cultural domain, occasion on which he expressed the hope that this anniversary will offer the occasion for the relaunching of the relations between the two states. The annual volume of bilateral trade exchanges was of 480 million dollars in 2007, according to the data offered by the Japanese embassy, but Yoshinobu Higashi emphasized the role of the Japanese assistance for development ( Official Development Assistance – ODA)for the modernisation of the infrastructure in Romania. According to the Japanese embassy, a positive example of the efficient use of ODA is the Modernisation Project for the Constanta Sud Harbour, worth 11 million dollars, finalized last year. According to the embassy, until now there have been 100 volunteers sent to Romania to cooperate in such domains as environment protection and education. At the same time, 90 Romanians were sent to education in different domains in Japan. The ambassador announced that this year the programme “ Japan Cultural Volunteers Program” will be launched, when six Japanese women will teach Japanese in Romania in Timisoara, Bucuresti ( Liceul Ion Creanga, Liceul Alex.Ioan Cuza and Universitatea Romano-Americana), Iasi and Targu-Mures.
