28/08/2015 Her Excellency First Lady Mrs. Rula Ghani Visits Japan / Attendance to WAW!, Official Meetings, and Embassy Reception

August 27-28:
Her Excellency Mrs. Rula Ghani, the First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, along with Her delegation, visited Tokyo to attend the World Assembly for Women (WAW!). During Her stay, H.E. the First Lady had meetings with key Japanese individuals.

H.E. the First Lady visited Japan International Cooperation Agency’s headquarter on the 27th to meet with JICA President Mr. Akihiko Tanaka. H.E. the First Lady thanked JICA for its years of generous support to Afghanistan in the field of agriculture, infrastructure, health, and education through the PEACE scholarship program. JICA’s financial assistance to the training of Afghan female police officers in Turkey was also mentioned, reaffirming that training of senior level officials will lead to effective results. Mr. Tanaka welcomed H.E. the First Lady Her on her trip, and discussed the above mentioned Afghan female police training, communicating JICA’s enthusiasm in studying the outcome of the training and in continuing the program. H.E. the First Lady Mrs. Ghani also had a meeting with Madam Sadako Ogata, special advisor to JICA and their former president. H.E. the First Lady expressed Her gratitude to Madam Ogata for her support and dedication for Afghanistan and its people over the years. They discussed issues of mutual interest for Afghanistan and Japan, and agreed to continue what is beneficial for the future of Afghanistan, and for building closer relationship with Japan.
During the WAW conference, H.E. had the occasion to meet with Her counterpart, Her Excellency Mrs. Akie Abe, the First Lady of Japan. They discussed issues of mutual interest for both countries, and shared their thoughts on challenges for girls’ education.

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Japan was honored and delighted by H.E. the First Lady’s first visit to Japan and the fruitful WAW conference, both of which will certainly strengthen the relationship between Afghanistan and Japan. While Her Excellency’s visit, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie, Mrs. Zohra Daoud Yousuf (advisor to H.E. the First Lady), Mr. Ahmad Bashir Ghafoori (First Secretary, Afghan Embassy in Japan), M. Yasir Karimi (Second Secretary, Afghan Embassy in Japan) had extended the support by accompanying Her Excellency. Our Embassy sincerely wishes Her Excellency’s continued success in the mission of empowering women, not only in Afghanistan, but around the world.

August 29, 2015:
With much excitement and anticipation, the Embassy of Afghanistan had the great honor and pleasure of welcoming Her Excellency Mrs. Rula Ghani, the First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. H.E. the First Lady was on an official visit to Japan from August 27th to 30th, to attend the World Assembly for Women (WAW!) hosted in Tokyo. H.E. the Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie hosted a commemorational reception in honor of her presence at the embassy on Saturday, August 29th.

The reception was opened by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie’s remarks that it is the highest honor and privilege to welcome H.E. the First Lady and that he appreciates the continuous generous support of the noble nation of Japan. H.E. Ambassador also stated that the National Unity Government’s leadership has confronted many of the issues that Afghanistan faces, and Afghanistan is moving forward towards peace and prosperity.

Among the distinguished guests attended, the Honorable Mr. Toru Miki, Member of the House of Councillors, delivered a speech on behalf of the Honorable Mr. Toshihiro Nikai, Member of the House of Representatives, emphasizing the importance of protecting culture and of further strengthening the friendly relationship between Japan and Afghanistan especially in the cultural aspect. As an example of cultural cooperation, the Hon. Mr. Miki referred to the Afghan “Hidden Treasure” exhibition scheduled early next year in Japan.

It was also a pleasure to have Mr. Tsukasa Uemura, Director-General of Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau and Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, deliver a message. His Excellency Mr. Uemura articulated the pleasure he felt by H.E. the First Lady’s visit to Japan and her attendance at the WAW Conferences. Furthermore, H.E. Mr. Uemura stated that he is looking forward to witnessing an even stronger friendship between Japan and Afghanistan.


Representing all Afghan students studying in Japan, Ms. Shaheem Elahi delivered a speech. She expressed her gratitude to the Japanese government for the scholarship and the opportunity to study in Japan. Ms. Elahi added that upon her return to Afghanistan she hopes to apply the knowledge she gained from studying in Japan to practical use.
At the height of the event, a grand standing ovation from the audience welcomed H.E. the First Lady on to the stage. Her Excellency stated that she had been keen on coming to Japan as this was her first visit, and was also very interested in the topic of the WAW conference, to empower women and seek improvement in women’s social environment. Regarding Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s current policies to achieve the above stated goals, Her Excellency expressed her understanding and support. Her Excellency also gave a special word of encouragement to the Afghan students studying in Japan, saying that “you’ve got your chance, a life time opportunity, so make the best of it.” Finally, H.E. the First Lady expressed her gratitude to the Government of Japan for its generous development assistance over the years, and wished all a success in future endeavors.
Following the heartwarming speech, Afghan cuisine was served by the Embassy, and the guests used the occasion to enjoy the meal and each other’s company, while being honored with the presence of H.E. the First Lady.

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Japan was honored and delighted by H.E. the First Lady’s visit to Japan and the fruitful WAW! conference, both of which will certainly strengthen the relationship between Afghanistan and Japan. Our Embassy sincerely wishes Her Excellency’s continued success in the mission of empowering women, not only in Afghanistan, but around the world.

28/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie attends reception of opening Calligraphy Exhibition and Victory Day of Turkey

August 28, 2015:

H.E. Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie had the pleasure of attending the opening ceremony of the Yunus Emre Calligraphy Exhibition and the subsequent reception celebrating the Victory Day of Turkey at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Tokyo. H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie congratulated the Turkish Ambassador Mr. A. Bulent Meric for the occasion, and expressed his gratitude of what close friend Turkey has been to Afghanistan, to which in return the Turkish Ambassador H.E. Mr. A. Bulent Meric expressed his wish for Afghanistan to prosper in peace.

H.E. Ambassador also had the honor of meeting some of the distinguished guests, including Honorable Ms. Kanae Yamamoto, State Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Member of the House of Representative; Mr. Hironobu Narisawa, Mayor of Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Mr. Deha Erpek, Minister Counsellor, and Mr. Suat Aydin, Economic Cousellor, both from the Turkish Embassy; Professor Tadashi Suzuki of the University of Tokyo; and Honorable Ambassadors of various friendly countries, from whom H.E. Ambassador Fatimie heard numerous positive remarks on the distinguished speech H.E. Mrs. Rula Ghani, First Lady of Afghanistan, precedingly delivered at WAW! 2015.

27/08/2015 H.E. Amb. Dr. Fatimie Attends 50th Independence Day of Maldives

August 27, 2015:
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie had a pleasure of attending the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Maldives. H.E. Mr. Ahmed Khaleel, Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to Japan, and H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie exchanged words to congratulate the occasion, as well as to embrace the friendship of the two countries. H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie also had an honor to be introduced to Honorable Ms. Dunya Maumoon, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Maldives, who was also present at the occasion and had been on a visit to Japan to attend the World Assembly for Women hosted in Tokyo.

24/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Hosts Reception for Afghan graduates of PEACE Scholarship

August 24, 2015:
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie hosted a reception to congratulate Afghan exchange students who recently had fulfilled their master’s degree curriculum in Japan. Under the PEACE scholarship program provided by Japanese government, about 50 Afghan students each year has been studying in all over Japan. By focusing on specialized fields of study in Japan, students will return to Afghanistan, and are expected to work as the foundation for rebuilding of the nation by utilizing their acquired specialty hence accelerating the development.

The reception was opened by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie’s remarks thanking the Japanese government and project managers JICA and JICE, that this is one of the best example of precious Afghan-Japan friendship and humanitarian assistance that Japan demonstrates to the world which will be proven and last for long period of time, to realize peaceful, stable, and prosperous nation Afghanistan. 


Followed by Mr. Takuya Otsuka, Director of South Asian Department of JICA, stated that JICA congratulates Afghan students for graduation from the program, and very much hopes the continued development will be successful.

Among all 25 participating students, Mr. Hamed Arif, Mr. Abdulshukoor Haidary, Mr. Hamidullah Sokout and Mr. Mohammad Shoaib Saboory, presented their graduation theses. To commemorate their achievement, the Embassy and JICA respectively presented the congratulatory certificate to each student. The Embassy wishes their continued success in the country, Afghanistan.

20/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie and Mr. Karimi meet with the Honorable Member of the House of Representative Mr. Toshihiro Nikai

August 20, 2015:

H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie, and Second Secretary M. Yasir Karimi, had the honor of meeting with the Honorable Member of the House of Representative Mr. Toshihiro Nikai, Chairman of General Council of Liberal Democratic Party, at the party headquarter. It was a pleasure to be accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Matsunami, president of Japan-Afghanistan Friendship Association. H.E. Ambassador and the Honorable Mr. Nikai communicated mutual interests of both countries, such as World Tsunami Day proposal of Japan to the next session of the United Nation General Assembly, and “Afghan Hidden Treasure Exhibition” in Japan scheduled early next year.

6/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends the 2015 Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima

August 6, 2015:

There are things in human history talking about which we quickly feel a lack of words, maybe because these are things that could never have been imagined by those who, throughout history, constituted our languages. Disaster, calamity, tragedy, catastrophe, woe? It is probably this linguistic shortcoming which caused the man who designed the weapon the World commemorated the first and only use to employ inappropriate words when he saw the first test.

On Thursday, August 6, 2015, at 08:15, that was exactly 70 years that the atomic bomb exploded 600 meters above the city of Hiroshima, taking away 80.000 lives instantly, and thousands more in the following days. This anniversary, for which the city of Hiroshima organizes each year a crucial ceremony, is not an opportunity to accuse one side or another, it is a chance given to the World to remember that this must never happen again anywhere.

Thus, it was an utmost honor for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie to be present at the Peace Memorial Ceremony. This ceremony was absolutely commendable as it aimed to come together for the victims – to look at the past – in order to contribute realizing everlasting peace – to build a safer future. H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie shared the assistance’s aspiration for unending peace on behalf of the government and the people of Afghanistan, but also personally given the very human aspect of the ceremony.

This ceremony is also to remind to the World the imperious necessity of peace as wars only bring calamities, sadness and sorrow. Afghanistan and Japan have more in common than what people usually think – this is something H.E. former Ambassador Haron Amin, may he rest in peace, masterfully demonstrated in his book Lands under the rising sun – and one example of that is the fact that both countries have the uncountable value of peace carved in their history.

The ceremony and linked events have been an occasion for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie to have a discussion with several people from different professional horizons: Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture; Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of the City of Hiroshima; Hon. Mr. Hiroshi Hiraguchi, LDP member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Budget Committee of the Lower House of the Diet; Hon. Mr. Terafumi Horiuchi, Communist Party member of the House of Representatives; Hon. Mr. Tetsuo Saito, Secretary-General of Komeito and member of the House of Representatives; Mr. Tomoyuki Yamane, Corporate Director and General Manager of the RIGHA Royal Hotel Hiroshima; and the journalists Ms. Tomomi Shineha of the Chugoku Shimbun and Mr. Masato Tainaka of the Asahi Shimbun.

5/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends a Reception Hosted by the City of Hiroshima

August 05, 2015:
On the evening before the Peace Memorial Ceremony, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie had the honor of attending a dinner reception hosted by the City of Hiroshima. There, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie had the opportunity to meet with outstanding individuals, such as Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture; Mr. Kazumi Matsui, the Mayor of the City of Hiroshima; Hon. Mr. Tadamori Oshima, the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and Hon. Mr. Masaaki Yamazaki, the President of the House of Councillors.

The dinner reception was an excellent occasion for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie and the participants to share thoughts on the meaning and significance of peace for the coming ceremony.

5/08/2015 Press Conference for the Announcement of Displaced Afghan Cultural Properties to be Returned

August 5, 2015:

A Press Conference was held at the Tokyo Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCCJ) to announce the return of Afghan cultural properties that were under the custody of the Japan Committee for the Protection of Displaced Cultural Properties. For this event in which can be seen as a prequel to the exhibition of Afghan hidden Treasures at the Kyushu and Tokyo National Museums, several Afghan diplomats and embassy staff were present.

As H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie was in the city of Hiroshima to attend the 2015 Peace Memorial Ceremony, his message was delivered by Mr. Ahmad Bashir Ghafoori, First Secretary of the Afghan Embassy in Tokyo. By his sides were three experts, heads of organizations which played an important role in this cultural recovery by their knowledge and their action: Mr. Yoichi Inoue, Director of Curatorial Planning at the Tokyo National Museum; Mr. Noburo Noguchi, Director-General of the National Federation of Unesco Associations in Japan; Pr. Ryohei Miyata, President of Tokyo University of the Arts.

In his speech, Mr. Ahmad Bashir Ghafoori stressed the importance of Japan’s help to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in order to protect these “cultural refugees”. Tribute has also been paid to the late Pr. Ikuo Hirayama, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO at this time, who initiated the activity of protecting displaced Afghan properties.

In the framework of an international campaign, a few months ago, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie delivered a speech named after the campaign: “Do Not Forget Afghanistan”. As the people of Afghanistan does not want to be forgotten, and the recent meaningful changes in the country not to be eclipsed, Afghans will never forget the help brought, being brought and to be brought by Japan and its citizens. This press conference was another occasion to spread this message.

Indeed, many journalists were presents – more than forty – representing various media, newspapers and TV companies. After the information given by the talented speakers, a question and answer session was held.

4/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Visits the “Fukushima Fair in Kasumigaseki”

August 4, 2015:
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie made a point of honor to be present at the “Fukushima Fair in Kasumigaseki”, an event hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to which the Diplomatic Missions in Japan were invited.
Too often, ordinary and brave citizens face dramatic issues they did not provoke but which they have to continue to live with. Afghans know it, and so do Japanese. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will never forget the help Japan brought and will do everything it can to prove it.
This is why H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie went to the fair to demonstrate his conviction that the Fukushima Prefecture will recover 2011’s disaster as it has many resources, and bought a few peaches and small cakes to offer the Embassy staff as well as his family.

30/07/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends Morocco’s National Day Reception to Celebrate the 16th Anniversary of the Enthronement of H.M. King Mohammed VI

July 30, 2015:
H.E Ambassador Dr. Fatimie had the great pleasure to attend the reception held at the Hotel Okura organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the enthronement of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie sincerely congratulated H.E. Dr. Samir Arrour, Ambassador of Kingdom of Morocco in Japan, and wished him and H.M. King Mohammed VI continuous health, happiness and prosperity. In return, H.E. Dr. Samir Arrour also wished happiness and prosperity to H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie and Afghanistan.

H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie also had the chance to converse with several distinguished guests: H.E. Mr. Yasuhide Nakayama, State Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr. Tsukasa Uemura, Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan and Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau at MOFA; Yoshitaka Akimoto, Grand Master of the Ceremonies at the Imperial Household; Mr. Nobuyoshi Takabe, Former Ambassador of Japan to the Democratic Republic of Congo; and a long-time friend of the Embassy, Dr. Kazuyuki Hamada, Former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.