Relations between Jamaica and Japan have been strengthened with the launch of an association aimed at increasing people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding between both countries.

The Japan-Jamaica Friendship Association (JJFA), nicknamed “Japamaica”, was launched on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at Jamaica’s embassy in Tokyo and was hailed by Ambassador Shorna-Kay Richards, Jamaica’s top diplomat in Japan, as a significant milestone in diplomatic relations between Kingston and Tokyo “at a time when Jamaica celebrates its 60th anniversary of Independence and as we mark the 35th anniversary of the first dispatch of Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers to Jamaica”.

Richards said that the JJFA will provide a more structured mechanism to leverage the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation that Jamaicans and Japanese have forged for more than five decades.

This, she argued, was instrumental “as we seek to unlock new dimensions in the Jamaica-Japan partnership”.

“I welcome the association’s main objectives to further promote cultural and other exchanges between our peoples as well as contribute to greater mutual understanding and friendship,” said Ambassador Richards who will serve as honorary chair of the JJFA.

“I also commend the focus on youth as important actors in raising the level of mutual interest in our respective countries,” she added.

The launch and inaugural meeting were attended by several Japanese officials who previously served in Jamaica, including former ambassadors Masanori Nakano, Takase Yasuo, and Yamazaki Hiromasa, as well as Tobita Kenji, former resident representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Jamaica Office which coordinates technical cooperation, including at the grass roots level.

Also in attendance was a group of current and former Japanese Embassy officials and JICA volunteers who comprise most of the association’s membership.

Ambassador Richards commended Ambassador Nakano for spearheading the launch of the association, for which he was nominated chairman.

Highlighting the motivation behind the JJFA, Ambassador Nakano said, “To the best of my knowledge, there are very few private organisations in Japan that are working to promote friendship with Jamaica. I firmly believe that it is extremely important to have such organisations in order to build a more solid foundation for our bilateral relationship.”

Added Ambassador Nakano: “We have a valuable asset of strong and solid people-to-people ties built up through many years of JICA volunteers’ activities in various fields in Jamaica. Given the fact that many of those volunteers still feel strongly connected to Jamaica and Jamaican people, even after they left the country, we think that it would be most natural as well as desirable to establish a friendship association with the JICA volunteers as core members.”

Stating that there is no better time to start JJFA than now, Ambassador Nakano said, “There is an increasing momentum to further strengthen our partnership. We sincerely hope that JJFA will play a role in helping to deepen friendship and understanding through contact among Japanese and Jamaican people.”

Jamaica and Japan established diplomatic relations in March 1964 and since then both countries continue to enjoy close and genuine partnership sustained by political engagement, active trade, practical cooperation in several areas, cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions.

Jamaica and Japan will celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations in 2024.