New Year's Greeting from Consul General

Happy New Year!

On July 4th of this year, the United States will mark a significant milestone with the 250th anniversary of its founding. During their summit meeting last October, the leaders of Japan and the United States agreed that they would celebrate this anniversary together, and further deepen the friendship and exchange between our two nations.

In this anniversary year, FIFA World Cup™ 2026 will be hosted in the United States. Lumen Field in Seattle has been selected as one of the venues. I hope that this global sports event, and the strong performances of both Japanese and the U.S. national teams, will add even greater highlight to this milestone.

Last year marked the 130th anniversary of the establishment of the Consulate-General of Japan. It was also a year of notable developments. Ichiro Suzuki's induction into the U.S. National Baseball Hall of Fame captured widespread attention. In October, Prime Minister Takaichi, the first female prime minister, was inaugurated. At the end of the month, a delegation led by Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana visited Tokyo and Kumamoto Prefecture, which has a sister city relationship with Montana. Montana has long been known as a major exporter of coal, wheat and beef to Japan. Building on this foundation, the governor’s visit provided an important opportunity for discussions with Japanese companies on emerging fields such as photonics and quantum technologies that are becoming emerging fields to Montana’s economic development. It was truly a meaningful and productive visit.

In the year ahead, we will continue to work on strengthening business and economic ties with not only Washington but also Montana and northern Idaho.

Of course, the importance of cultural and people-to-people exchanges cannot be overstated. This year, a variety of grassroots programs are planned. It includes sister city events, and mutual visits by middle and high school students who represent the next generation of our two nations. The Consulate-General will continue to introduce Japanese culture and current affairs at every opportunity; working to deepen understanding of Japan throughout Washington, Montana, and northern Idaho; and to further strengthen the connections that link these regions with Japan.

I wish all of you good health and much happiness in the new year.