New Year's Greetings from Ambassador Ishizuka
2026/1/6
At the beginning of the year 2026, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year.
Looking back on 2025, the Japan-Georgia relations have steadily developed.
Among a number of the Japanese delegations that have visited Georgia, I would like to mention Ms. Makishima Karen, a member of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Kawasaki Hideto, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Digital Transformation, who discussed digitalization, disaster prevention, and further bilateral cooperation with the representatives of the Government, Parliament, Municipalities, university during their visit in December 2025.
2024 marked the 70th anniversary of Japan’s international cooperation, and the previous year marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), and, in this regard, a commemorative video was produced. I believe some of you may have already seen it.
I am also delighted about the opening of the One Village One Product (OVOP) shop in Tbilisi.
In addition, two distinguished Georgian cultural figures awarded with the Japanese decorations last year. Various cultural events were also actively carried out not only in Tbilisi but also in Batumi, thereby further promoting people-to-people exchanges between our two countries.
I am confident that Japan–Georgia relations will continue to deepen through people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation this year as well.
In particular, Georgia is located along the Middle Corridor and the Trans-Caspian route. At the “Summit of the Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue (CA+JAD)“ in December last year, Prime Minister TAKAICHI declared the launch of the “CA+JAD Tokyo Initiative”, which includes enhancing connectivity through support for the further development of the "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route”. This, in my view, shows that there is growing attention to the enhancement of logistics, transportation, and people to people exchanges within and beyond Central Asia, including Georgia. Moreover, cooperation in the environmental field, including the use of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), holds particular promise as cooperation under JCM is steadily progressing. We hope that this positive momentum will give a new impetus to the further development of Japan–Georgia economic relations in the year ahead.
Finally, all Embassy staff members are resolved to work as one team for the further development of bilateral relations, taking your valuable suggestions and advice into consideration. We will be looking forward to your continued support this year as well.
Looking back on 2025, the Japan-Georgia relations have steadily developed.
Among a number of the Japanese delegations that have visited Georgia, I would like to mention Ms. Makishima Karen, a member of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Kawasaki Hideto, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Digital Transformation, who discussed digitalization, disaster prevention, and further bilateral cooperation with the representatives of the Government, Parliament, Municipalities, university during their visit in December 2025.
2024 marked the 70th anniversary of Japan’s international cooperation, and the previous year marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), and, in this regard, a commemorative video was produced. I believe some of you may have already seen it.
I am also delighted about the opening of the One Village One Product (OVOP) shop in Tbilisi.
In addition, two distinguished Georgian cultural figures awarded with the Japanese decorations last year. Various cultural events were also actively carried out not only in Tbilisi but also in Batumi, thereby further promoting people-to-people exchanges between our two countries.
I am confident that Japan–Georgia relations will continue to deepen through people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation this year as well.
In particular, Georgia is located along the Middle Corridor and the Trans-Caspian route. At the “Summit of the Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue (CA+JAD)“ in December last year, Prime Minister TAKAICHI declared the launch of the “CA+JAD Tokyo Initiative”, which includes enhancing connectivity through support for the further development of the "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route”. This, in my view, shows that there is growing attention to the enhancement of logistics, transportation, and people to people exchanges within and beyond Central Asia, including Georgia. Moreover, cooperation in the environmental field, including the use of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), holds particular promise as cooperation under JCM is steadily progressing. We hope that this positive momentum will give a new impetus to the further development of Japan–Georgia economic relations in the year ahead.
Finally, all Embassy staff members are resolved to work as one team for the further development of bilateral relations, taking your valuable suggestions and advice into consideration. We will be looking forward to your continued support this year as well.