As Serbia and Japan celebrate 140 years of friendly relations, GMI POST reached out to the Ambassador of Japan to Serbia H.E. Takahiko Katsumata to discuss the shared history of the two countries and the future of bilateral ties.
“We have been fostering good relations with Serbia despite the distance of 9,000 km,” said the Ambassador, who highlighted the mutual respect and trust that have been grown for more than a century. Katsumata also expressed his gratitude to the Serbia government, local authorities, and cultural groups for organizing several events to commemorate the milestone.
As the two nations see the number of high-level state visits increase, Katsumata pointed out that relations between Japan and Serbia, both diplomatic and economic, have grown much closer over time.
The highpoint came during the visit of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2018, when he unveiled the Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative, which aims to support socio-economic reforms in the region ahead of their accession to the European Union.
Today, there are more than 30 Japanese companies doing business in Serbia including JTI, Yazaki Corporation, Toyo Tire Corporation, and Nidec Corporation, all of which, according to Katsumata, recognized Serbia’s high-quality products, world-class talent, and commitment to social development.
“There are many regional and global issues that we need to tackle together, such as sustainable development, climate change, clean energy, and disaster management. Given our history of friendship and cooperation, I believe Japan and Serbia can be excellent partners to take on these responsibilities for future generations,” he said.
The Ambassador also expressed interest in further promoting sports exchanges with Serbia. The two countries both progressed beyond the group stages in the FIFA World Cup Finals in Qatar this year. Serbia’s national team manager, Dragan Stojkovic, spent seven years in Japan playing for Japanese club Nagoya Grampus Eight.
“In my two years as Ambassador of Japan in Serbia, I have experienced the warm hospitality of the Serbian people and the country’s rich culture and tradition,” said Katsumata as he invited more Japanese companies and tourists to visit Serbia and experience the country.
