Message from Ambassador Makoto Yamanaka on His Arrival (Oct '07)
	My name is Makoto Yamanaka. I have just arrived in Singapore as the new Ambassador of Japan to Singapore. Japan and Singapore enjoy excellent relations in the areas of politics, economy and culture. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. A variety of events and cultural programmes were held to commemorate the occasion, the most significant of which was the historic visit by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan. Furthermore, as a sign of our increasingly solid bilateral economic ties, former PM Shinzo Abe and PM Lee Hsien Loong signed the Protocol amending the Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Singapore for a New-Age Economic Partnership when PM Lee visited Japan this March. Today, many Japanese firms have regional offices in Singapore, and the Japanese population here exceeds 26,000. Human exchanges are also robust. Singapore is one of the most popular travel destinations for Japanese people, and so is Japan for Singaporeans. Japan and Singapore enjoy close cooperation not only in bilateral issues but also in addressing global challenges. This August, Singapore assumed the weighty responsibility as the chair of ASEAN, as the regional grouping marks its 40th anniversary. The ASEAN-related summit meetings and East Asian Summit will be held in here this November, and preparations are progressing steadily under the leadership of PM Lee. These fora provide important venues for Japan and Singapore to work together to deal with those challenges. Friendly ties between our two countries are therefore indispensable to the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the international community. It is my great honour to be appointed the Ambassador of Japan to Singapore at such an important time. I will devote myself to strengthen the current warm Japan-Singapore relationship, in close collaboration with the Japanese people, Japanese companies and other related organisations that are working actively here in Singapore. Your continued support and cooperation will be greatly appreciated.