‘Thank you again’

TOKYO, Feb 25, (KUNA): Japanese officials on Monday renewed gratitude for the generous assistance and sincere support given to the Japanese people by the Kuwaiti government and the people after the devastating earthquake in March 2011.

“The people of the areas as well as the whole of Japan shall never forget the feelings of gratitude toward Kuwait,” Yuriko Koike, Chairwoman of the Japan-Kuwait Parliamentary Friendship League made remarks to Japanese media. “Kuwait offered one of the earliest and biggest supports for the affected areas. The assistance from Kuwait covers a lot of ground,” Koike said in her statement to the Japan Times newspaper.

“In addition to the donation of crude oil reaching 5 million barrels, equal to $500 million, during his visit to Japan as a state guest last March, His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah expressed his intention to donate $2 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society and of $3 million to Aquamarine Fukushima,” Koike underlined.

“Let me express my heartfelt gratitude to HH the Amir and the people of Kuwait as well as Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi, who made repeated visits to the devastated areas and provided accurate information about Japan’s needs to his home country, and the staff members of the Embassy,” she added.

Koike, who visited Kuwait on Feb 12 after assuming the position as the Chairwoman of the Japan-Kuwait Parliamentary Friendship League, to exchange opinions with her Kuwaiti counterpart, also said Kuwait is known as one of the most advanced nations in terms of democratization among the Arab countries.

“It has been more than half a century since Japan established diplomatic ties with the friendly nation of Kuwait. I sincerely hope that the bilateral relations in various fields, including politics, economics, culture and environment, will be further deepened and expanded to make this come true, I am determined to persevere in my best efforts,” she added.

Meanwhile, speaking to the Japan Times and the Daily Yomiuri, Japan-Kuwait Friendship Society Chairman Kuniyasu Takeda said the year of 2012 marked “a historic visit to Japan by H.H. the Amir in March, in which he was warmly received at the Imperial Palace by Emperor, who was recuperating from heart bypass surgery.

During his landmark visit, Japan and Kuwait signed two agreements on investment and cultural exchanges between the two countries. “The visit of the HH the Amir added a fresh page to the half-century of friendship between Japan and Kuwait, especially after the announcement of a fresh donation of $5 million, of which $3 million was dedicated to the restoration of the Aquamarine Fukushima aquarium, and $2 million to support earthquake victims in Fukushima Prefecture,” he said.