Japan Ambassador Pays Courtesy Call on Premier Hon. Mark Brantley
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 13, 2022 — The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis was pleased to welcome His Excellency Yutaka Matsubara, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan – designate of Japan to the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. This is Ambassador Matsubara’s first posting at ambassadorial rank. His Excellency is no stranger to public service as he served for over 34 years in various high-level capacities throughout the Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism culminating with his service as a Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, Minister’s Secretariat.
Prior to assuming his current role as Ambassador, His Excellency Matsubara served as Senior Advisor for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited for three years.
On Wednesday morning 13th April, his Excellency presented his Credentials to His Excellency Sir S W Tapley Seaton, GCMG, CVO, QC, JP, LL.D Governor-General of Saint Kits and Nevis in the presence of his spouse Mrs Masako Matsubara, and Ms Megumi Maekawa, Second Secretary. His Excellency will be making courtesy calls on the Honourable Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris, The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, the Honourable Mark Brantley, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Honourable Alexis Jeffers and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, Ms Kaye Bass.
The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis established diplomatic relations with Japan on 14th January 1985. In July 2018, the Federation appointed Her Excellency Jasmine Huggins as non-resident Ambassador to Japan in an effort to strengthen diplomatic ties and seek new opportunities for engagement in that region.
The past thirty-seven (37) years have witnessed the development of steady, cordial and cooperative relations between the two countries that have benefitted both governments and its peoples. Japan’s contribution towards the development of Saint Kitts and Nevis is predominantly in the areas of capacity building, disaster risk reduction, environment and fisheries. This is based on Japan’s decision to strengthen its cooperation with small island states that face special vulnerabilities in particular the impact of climate change, regardless of their per capita income.