Greetings from NAKAMURA Koichiro, Ambassador of Japan to Estonia
2025/4/17
Dear visitors to the website of the Embassy of Japan in Estonia,
Hello everyone. I am NAKAMURA Koichiro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Estonia.
It has been six months since my arrival in Tallinn last October. As the long winter in Estonia gives way to spring, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to you all.
Since presenting my credentials to His Excellency President Alar Karis, as you see in this homepage, I have had the privilege of meeting with numerous distinguished individuals, including Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, Education and Research Minister Kristina Kallas, Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi, and other 6 cabinet members. I have also met with the President of the Riigikogu, H. E. Mr.Lauri Hussar and members the Parliament, Commander of the Defense Forces Major General Andrus Merilo, Mayor of Tallinn Mr. Jevgeni Ossinovski, Mayor of Tartu Mr. Urmas Klaas, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to visit not only Tallinn city but also Tartu, Narva, and Saku. I am deeply moved by the warm hospitality extended to me by the Estonian people.
Interest in each other's countries is growing both in Japan and Estonia, and our cooperative relationship is becoming increasingly close. At the end of January, Defense Minister Pevkur visited Japan, and on April 4, a meeting between Foreign Minister Tsahkna and Foreign Minister Iwaya took place in Brussels, reaffirming our collaboration and cooperation as allied countries sharing common values.
Unfortunately, the Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which began in February 2022, continues to this day, leading to increasing instability in the global security environment. There is a growing recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic region and the Indo-Pacific region are inseparable and that the international community must address global security issues as a united front. Additionally, cyberattacks are increasingly recognized as a serious, common threat worldwide. In this circumstances, Estonia is regarded as one of the most reliable partners for Japan, sharing common challenges in the fields of foreign policy and security. At the end of March, our embassy welcomed its first resident Defense Attaché, and we expect further cooperation in this area.
In the economic field, global systems are also becoming unstable. However, precisely because of this, our economic and business cooperation with Estonia, which boasts high educational standards supporting its growth as an "electronic state" and entrepreneurial spirit symbolized by the successive emergence of "unicorn companies," holds great potential.
I was also delighted to discover the strong cultural ties between Japan and Estonia. One of Estonia's representative buildings, the National Museum located in Tartu, was designed by Japanese architect TANE Tsuyoshi. From last year until March, a solo exhibition by Japanese artist IKEDA Ryoji was held there, gaining great acclaim. At the National Opera House in Tallinn, Japanese dancers and musicians are actively performing. Japanese language is enthusiastically taught at Tallinn University and Tartu University, and quite a few Japanese students are studying in this country.
As Ambassador of Japan, I am very happy to work in this attractive country. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you, people in Estonia.
Thank you very much for your support.
April 17, 2025
NAKAMURA Koichiro
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Estonia
Courtesy call on Prime Minister Kristen Michal Introducing Japan at Gustav Adolf Grammar School
(Photo: State Chancellery)