Japan–Kosovo relations

Bilateral relations

Japanese–Kosovan

Japan |
Kosovo
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Japan, Pristina| Embassy of Kosovo, Tokyo
Envoy
Ambassador Akira Mizutani| Ambassador Sabri Kiçmari [sq]

Japan–Kosovo relations are foreign relations between Japan and Kosovo. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and Japan recognized it on March 18, 2008.[1] According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on February 25, 2009.[2]

## History

[edit]

Dr. Sadako Ogata, the late Japanese-born UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Sadako Ogata, the Japanese-born UN High Commissioner for Refugees, issued an official statement in November 1998 which revealed the violence and abuse that civilians in Kosovo faced every day; an estimated 175,000 people remained displaced inside Kosovo. She demonstrated on the report a lasting commitment to protect Kosovar refugees and returnees and to seek solutions to relevant problems there.[3] In order to cease the appalling violence and to regain peace and prosperity in Kosovo as soon as possible, the Government of Japan declared in April 1999 to provide assistance to international organizations and the neighboring countries which accepted numerous Kosovar refugees, including the UNHCR, Albania and Macedonia.[4]

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and Japan recognized it on March 18, 2008.[1] Japan is the third Asian country which recognized the Republic of Kosovo after Afghanistan and Turkey.[5]

The embassy of Kosovo was opened in Tokyo on July 16, 2010.[6] Japan had no embassy in Pristina until January 1, 2020.[7]

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed the launch of the Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative on his visit to several Southeast European countries in January 2018. Although he did not visit Kosovo at that time, the scheme emphasized that Japan would strengthen bilateral assistance, support regional cooperation and establish new embassies to the Western Balkan countries including the Republic of Kosovo.[8] As a part of the initiative, two years later, the embassy of Japan was opened in Pristina.[9]

## High-level visits

[edit]

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe with Kosovan President Hashim Thaçi at the State Guest House, Akasaka Palace in Tokyo. President Thaçi has visited Japan four times, as Prime Minister twice and as President twice.

### High-level visits from Japan to Kosovo

[edit]

* December 1999: Foreign Minister Yōhei Kōno[10]
* April 2005: Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Itsunori Onodera[10]
* May 2006: Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akiko Yamanaka[10]
* September 2009: Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kazuyuki Hamada[2][11]
* February 2018: Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Manabu Horii[2][12]
* February 2019: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe[2][13]

### High-level visits from Kosovo to Japan

[edit]

(February 2000: UNMIK Special Representative Bernard Kouchner)[10]

* April 2004: Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi[10]
* December 2011: Minister of Foreign Affairs Enver Hoxhaj and Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Dardan Gashi[2][14]
* June 2012: Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi with Minister of Foreign Affairs Enver Hoxhaj, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Ramë Buja [sq] and Minister of Finance Bedri Hamza[2][15]
* September 2013: Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry [sq] Bernard Nikaj with Chief Executive at Investment Promotion Agency Valdrin Lluka[2][16]
* October 2013: Minister of Education, Science and Technology Ramë Buja[2][17]
* April 2014: Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi with Minister of Finance Besim Beqaj [sq] and Minister of Trade and Industry Bernard Nikaj[18]
* March 2018: First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli with Economic Development Minister [sq] Valdrin Lluka[2][19]
* March 2019: Chairman of Kosovo Assembly Kadri Veseli[20][21]
* September 2019: President Hashim Thaçi[2][22]
* October 2019: President Hashim Thaçi[2][23][24]
* July 2021: President Vjosa Osmani[25]

## Sports

[edit]

Judo, a Japanese origin martial art, included into the Summer Olympic Games as an official sport for men in 1964 and for women in 1992.[26] Kosovo Judo Federation was accepted into the International Judo Federation and the European Judo Union in 2012.[27] Kosovar-Albanian judoka Majlinda Kelmendi achieved a great success and victory by winning the first gold medal for Kosovo at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[28] Kosovan judoka Distria Krasniqi won the gold medal in women's under 48kg competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic; it is the first gold medal for Kosovo at the Tokyo 2020 and the second for Kosovo at the Olympic Games.[29]

## See also

[edit]

* Japan portal
* Politics portal

* Albania–Japan relations
* Foreign relations of Japan
* Foreign relations of Kosovo
* Japan–Serbia relations
* Japan–Yugoslavia relations

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Statement by Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura on the Recognition of the Republic of Kosovo". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Japan–Kosovo Relations (Basic Data) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
3. ^ UNHCR \- Statement by Mrs. Sadako Ogata, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the Humanitarian Issues Working Group of the Peace Implementation Council, Geneva, 20 November 1998
4. ^ Japan’s Contribution to the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
5. ^ Countries That Have Recognized Kosovo As An Independent State – Be In Kosovo
6. ^ About Embassy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Embassy of Republic of Kosovo in Tokyo
7. ^ About us | Embassy of Japan to Kosovo
8. ^ Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
9. ^ Japan opens its doors to Kosovo (Japonia hap dyert e saj për Kosovën) Radio Evropa e Lirë
10. ^ a b c d e Japan–Kosovo Relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, dated June 2009
11. ^ President Jahjaga received the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Kazuyuki Hamada President of the Republic of Kosovo
12. ^ President Thaçi met the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Manabu Horii President of the Republic of Kosovo
13. ^ President Thaçi received the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan President of the Republic of Kosovo
14. ^ Visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Enver Hoxhaj, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
15. ^ Visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Hashim THAÇI, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
16. ^ Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masaji Matsuyama met with H.E. Mr. Bernard NIKAJ, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of Kosovo and H.E. Mr. Valdrin Lluka, Chief Executive at Investment Promotion Agency of Kosovo (松山外務副大臣とニカイ・コソボ貿易・産業副大臣及びルーカ・コソボ投資促進庁長官との会談) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
17. ^ Kosovo donates crystal to Hiroshima Getty Images
18. ^ Japan–Kosovo Summit Meeting Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
19. ^ The visit in Japan of the First Deputy-Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Behgjet Pacolli, as well as the Economic Development Minister Mr. Valdrin Lluka concludes Embassy of Kosovo in Japan
20. ^ President of Kosovo's Assembly visits Speaker Oshima House of Representatives of Japan
21. ^ Foreign Minister Taro Kono met with H.E. Mr. Kadori Veseli, Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo (河野外務大臣とヴェセリ・コソボ議会議長との会談) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
22. ^ Japan–Kosovo Summit Meeting Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
23. ^ President Thaçi travels to Japan, attends the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito President of the Republic of Kosovo
24. ^ Japan–Kosovo Summit Meeting Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
25. ^ Osmani traveled to Japan for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games (Osmani udhëtoi drejt Japonisë për ceremoninë hapëse të Lojërave Olimpike) Kallxo.com
26. ^ Olympics: Martial Arts Britannica
27. ^ Pickering, Mark (November 8, 2016). "IJF President Mr. Marius Vizer honoured as Kosovo celebrates 2nd Anniversary of IOC membership". International Judo Federation. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
28. ^ Olympics Rio 2016: Majlinda Kelmendi wins judo gold to become first Kosovo medallist Eurosport
29. ^ Tokyo 2020 - Krasniqi and Takato Open the Ball International Judo Federation

## External links

[edit]

* Embassy of Japan in Kosovo
* Embassy of Kosovo in Japan Archived 2020-06-04 at the Wayback Machine

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