It is nothing new to say that Japan as an immense state is a “heavy weight” in the world politics, economy, peace and security. As many other Albanians, this country has attracted me since in my early youth. In the ‘80s, in our foreign trade sector where I worked for 15 years, Japan had an important part thanks to its imports of our minerals and largely chromium ore. It was impressive to see that relations with Japan even during the communist time were calmer, not charged with denunciations, blackmail, and ideological divisions as in the case of other “bourgeois and revisionist” countries. In 1981, I had the chance to accompany as interpreter a delegation of two Japan MPs, a very rare thing for that time and later senior Japanese trade officials and company managers in Tirana and abroad. But we could not go farther than that.

In the post 90s, during my diplomatic service in Berlin, Brussels and elsewhere, we maintained very good relations with our Japanese colleagues. In May 2007 I was given the opportunity to visit Tokyo with the Foreign Minister of that time, Mr. Besnik Mustafaj with a series of accords signed.

Japan plays a great strategic role in the vital Indo-Pacific region together with the USA, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. It is contributing a lot there to strengthen international order based on the rule of law. In this respect, Japan intends and is making several concrete diplomatic efforts through all international agencies and organizations to have a free, open, and safe region. It has stepped up efforts to achieve this major target by safeguarding peace and security, based on the values and principles of the rule of law. This is of great significance since Indo-Pacific is a large strategic region, with half of world population living there, a world economic engine with dynamic breakthroughs and drastic changes in the balance of regional and world powers.

Hereby, the Japanese politics and diplomacy has made it crystal – clear that it does not intend to create new bodies and agencies, nor to replace or compete with existing ones. On the contrary, it works closely with its allies and partner states, adhering to the view that no country, however large and powerful may meet alone this major strategic goal. To this end, it has launched a series of useful geopolitical initiatives and processes. By the end of 2022, Japan adopted and is applying a new national security strategy, which addresses all pressing issues of its regional and much wider security.

Nonetheless, what should be underscored in this article is that despite all these planetary geostrategic commitments, Japan is also notable for its constructive and engaged policy vis à vis Western Balkans and  our country most specifically. And, this is not an accidental or a provisional policy.

Japan has raised “the bar” of its interest for our region even higher especially after the NATO military intervention against former Yugoslavia in 1999 and Kosovo’s liberation. Let us remind the fact that Japan was among the first western states to recognize Kosovo’s independence. As many others, in early 2000s I was eyewitness to the serious Japanese engagement hen the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was set up and many of its events in Brussels, Berlin, Athens, Tirana and in other European capitals. Japan was among the major sponsors of this historic Pact with constructive approaches and very generous with many projects and money. Its political, economic, institutional and humanitarian assistance and support, with a typical regional approach, whereby each country has its own specifics, is internationally recognized. Japan has maintained that commitment by supporting even the “descendant” of the Stability Pact, the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) with its headquarters in Sarajevo, which in the last 5 years is chaired by the renowned Albanian politician, Mrs. Majlinda Bregu.

Japan has embodied this active policy in its comprehensive strategy “Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative” (WBCI). This initiative, which contains both the essence and the basis of the Japanese diplomacy for the region and our country, was launched in January 2018 during the visit by the late Japanese Prime Minister Abe in the Western Balkans.

The strategic objectives of this Initiative are designed to provide support for the socio-economic reforms of Western Balkans towards EU accession; special emphasis is laid on strengthening the rule of law and liberal democracy in which Japan has many traditions.

The Japanese assistance for the region and Albania is understandable when one thinks that Japan firmly believes a strong and whole Europe, which no other third force could divide. Besides, Western Balkans represents a dynamic region and market with a great deal of interest for Japanese investments and then a strong Europe maybe successfully involved in the process of reinforcing peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

The above-mentioned initiative is not simply a logo or slogan but a comprehensive platform with concrete measures in many vital fields, starting with bilateral cooperation and its promotion in all political, diplomatic and economic levels. In this context, after the President of the Republic in 2018, it was Prime Minister Edi Rama who visited Japan at the head of a governmental delegation. He co-chaired in 22 February 2023, along with his Japanese counterpart, PM Fumio the important bilateral Summit on the occasion of the Centenary of the diplomatic relations between our two countries. During that visit, Prime Minister Rama held also meetings with top managers of Japanese agencies and companies that are active in our country. That visit was materialized with the signing of many agreements and programs of great significance in the economic and social areas, for the civil society and others. Likewise, during the years 2018 -2022 mutual visits by the two Foreign Ministers in Tirana and Tokyo took place.

Then, for the purpose of a good follow up of this Initiative and the enhancement of political dialogue with the countries of the region, last year the Japanese government appointed Ambassador Nakamura as its Special Envoy for Western Balkans.

A growing cooperation was also noted in the diplomatic area, especially in the UN Security Council in the last two years with both our countries as non-permanent members there.

Japan has provided considerable assistance in the field of technical cooperation through its Economic Promotion Agency (ODA) in the fields of security and others. The promotion of Japanese investments in our countries has been another significant achievement, which remains a primary goal. The joint Japanese Chamber of Commerce with Japan is also in place now, which will facilitate the said cooperation.

With regard to the enlargement of regional cooperation, Japan has sponsored seminars, workshops and visit programs in Japan for many experts of the region, with the focus on shared interests of the countries in the region, as renewable energy, reduction of risks from natural calamities, smart agriculture and others.

To this end, Japan has established effective cooperation with the EU and its Member States, the UNDP and others for the implementation of important projects, as the delivery of solar photovoltaic equipment in four municipalities in Albania, a pilot project in Kamëz in 2019, and others.

It’s also worth mentioning the Japanese assistance and support in the social, youth, women, culture, civil society and in other areas. Hereby one should single out the all-inclusive program MIRAI, whose  implementation started in 2017in cooperation with the Regional Youth Office in Tirana. MIRAI includes fostering understanding, the promotion of intellectual relations and the Initiative of Academic Exchanges. It provides and promotes many values, especially in the field of human, cultural, literary and other areas, where our traditions are not lacking. Many Albanians have studied in Japan and work there and vice versa.

Here we should pay homage to two prominent personalities who have done a lot to forge the Japanese – Albanian relations in the field of culture and science. The late Betim Muço (1947 – 2015) a well-known seismologist, the head of seismological services in Albania from the 70 until early 2000 when he was invited to go to and live to the States. During 1990 – 1991 he made the post – doctorial studies in the University of Tokyo. Then, he became Honorary Consul of Japan to Albania. Betim Muço was also a celebrity in poetry with 25 works. He is the first to translate the famous poetical Haiku into Albanian. He also authored a collection of essays on Japanese customs and culture. The next one, the renown modern architect, Petraq Kolevica (1934 - 2023), translator of many literary masterpieces from German and Russian, did also translate (not directly) Japanese poems, including the famous Yukio Mishima.

Coming back to our point, some of these events took place in Tirana, with the cooperation of relevant institutions. Such is the case with the Civil Society Summit in Tirana in 2020 or the Women Forum in 2022.

After the Pandemics COVID –19, Japan has sponsored working visits and seminars in the context of Western Balkans Fund in Tirana, the International Visegrad Fund and other bodies regarding the enhancement of the role of women, youth and encountering disinformation during last year in Tirana, Tokyo and other region’s capitals.

It is self-understood that the relevant embassies in Tirana and in Tokyo have played their own role in this respect. From a few months ago it is quite active in Tirana the new Japanese ambassador, Mrs. Kikuko Kato. A diplomat of career with a long experience, who has passed over all career stages, the bilateral and multilateral sectors of the well-known Japanese diplomacy. She has also served in Germany as Consul in Hamburg and Deputy Ambassador in Berlin, in Budapest, Head of Department for the UN and international organizations in the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and other duties. During these first months she has had intensive working talks with the top levels of our highest institutions, ministers and other agencies that are active with Japan.

Apart from these meetings, a few days ago, Ambassador Kato joined in a working luncheon some members of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, who have been active in the relations with Japan, both in the Foreign Ministry in Tirana, in Tokyo and in other international metropolis. It was an informal exchange of ideas and views among colleagues of two friendly countries.

Finally, one may say that our relations with Japan are in their proper course, with other greater hopes and expectations in many areas of mutual benefit. The Japanese regional approach, keeping in mind the specifics of each country in the region is indeed a great value added and a positive model of relations with such a an immense state, both in political and economic terms, as well as the precious values and principles of its liberal democracy.

*Dr. Jorgji Kote, Grand Master in Diplomacy