The new Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, says his country will assist in tackling the Covid-19 challenges in the country.
The envoy said that the Embassy would cooperate with the Nigerian Government in the health sector including the fight against Covid-19.
The Ambassador added that Japan would continue to support the efforts of the Nigerian people to strengthen the medical and health sectors.
“Nigerians have also been highly affected by restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic and face various inconveniences. Foremost, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and to extend my heartfelt sympathies to all the affected people. One of my priorities would therefore be to address the various challenges in the medical and health sectors, including the response to Covid-19, through the cooperation between Japan and Nigeria,’’ Ambassador Kazuyoshi said.
He also said that a grant aid project funded by the Government of Japan, was launched in April 2021 to increase oxygen supply and expand vaccine storage capacity through an international organization.
He noted that the year 2020 marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Nigeria diplomatic relations which has recorded many accomplishments to date and expressed his confidence that the relations between the two countries can only get stronger and would expand into new fields.
Adoption of ICT technology
The Ambassador also pointed out that as a member of the Japanese Government that promotes digital transformation as a pillar of its growth strategy, Nigeria has the potential to grow dramatically through actively adopting the latest ICT technology.
“I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan as an IT expert. Therefore, I am interested in strengthening diplomatic activities utilizing IT in pursuing economic growth and in solving social problems through technological innovations. Under these circumstances, DX (digital transformation) can facilitate people-to-people ties by bridging psychological distances. It promotes virtual exchanges and deepens mutual understanding not only in political and business fields, but also in fields such as sports, culture, medical care and education,’’ he explained.
He, however, noted that his special interest in Nigeria stems from recalling that the first non-Japanese person that he had contact with as a five-year-old was a Nigerian.
He noted that there were about 16 players in the Japanese football league, the J-League, who were from Nigeria or whose one parent was Nigerian, making Nigeria the most-represented African country in Japanese football.
“Nigeria is thus remarkably familiar to Japanese football fans,” he added.
The Japanese Ambassador who arrived in Nigeria on May 15, 2021, prayed for a better relationship between Nigeria and Japan.
Nneka Ukachukwu
