Japan-Iraq Relations 
January 2010
Basic Data
- Diplomatic Relations:
- 1939: Japanese Legation opened in Baghdad
- 1955: Iraqi Legation opened in Tokyo
- 1960: Both Legations were upgraded to Embassies
- 1991: Embassy of Japan in Baghdad ceases its functions temporarily after all Japanese diplomats evacuated from Iraq
- 2004: Japan recognized the Interim government of Iraq
- 2004: Japan appointed Ambassador Suzuki, Ambassador to Iraq
- 2004: Iraq appointed Ambassador Jumaily, Ambassador to Japan
- Number of Residents:
- Number of Japanese Nationals residing in Iraq: -
- Number of Iraqi Nationals residing in Japan: 101 (as of Dec 2007)
- Trade with Japan (in thousand US Dollars):
- Exports: 660 million Dollars (2000)
- Imports: 42 million Dollars (2000)
- Direct Investment from Japan:
- 0
- Japan's Economic Cooperation:
- （1） At the International Donors' Conference on the Reconstruction of Iraq held in Madrid on 24 October 2003, Japan announced its financial assistance package totaling up to $5 billion. The package comprises $1.5 billion of grant aid for immediate assistance for recovery of living standard of Iraqi people and up to $3.5 billion, mainly in the form of Japanese ODA loans, in order to meet medium-term reconstruction demands.
- （2） $1.7 billion of grant aid has been obligated and has already been disbursed. Regarding Japanese ODA loans, the Exchange of Notes (E/N) for 12 Japanese ODA loan projects (up to $2.43 billion, as of Aug 2009) have been signed in the fields of transportation, energy, industrial plant and irrigation.
- （3） Moreover, based on the agreement of the Paris Club, the Government of Japan and the Government of Iraq signed the agreement upon the debt relief on November 24, 2005 in Tokyo, according to which the debts would be cancelled by 80 % in total in three stages. In December 2008, Japan completed the reduction of debt, amounting up to approximately 710 billion yen (US $6.7 billion).
- Japan's Assistance Measures
- List of Exchange of Notes
Recent Trends in Bilateral Relations
-
1. In January 2009, "Declaration on Establishing a Comprehensive Partnership between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Iraq" was signed to strengthen a long term bilateral relationship including the economic and business ties between the two countries.
"Declaration on Establishing a Comprehensive Partnership between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Iraq" -
2. In June 2009, H.E. Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and H.E. Mr. Hoshyar Mahmoud Zebari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, held a Japan-Iraq Foreign Ministerial Meeting on the occasion of Foreign Minister Zebari's visit to Japan. The two Ministers had an extensive discussion on the bilateral issues and resolved to work together for the furtherance of the Japan-Iraq strategic partnership and for the peace and stability of the international community.
"Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Japan and the Republic of Iraq"
VIP Visits
- From Japan to Iraq
-
Year Name 1987 Mr. Yoshiaki Kibe, Chairman of the Japan-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Association 1988 Mr. Takakazu Kuriyama, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs 1989 Mr. Yoshiaki Kibe, Chairman of the Japan-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Association Mr. Eizaburo Saito, Member of the House of Councilors Mr. Mitsuo Horiuchi, Special Envoy 2000 The Member of LDP 2001 Survey Mission of Committee on Budget, House of Representatives 2003 Mr. Toshimitsu Motegi(Prime Minister's Special Envoy), State Secretary for Foreign Affairs 2004 Mr. Yoshinori Ohno, Minister of State for Defense 2005 Mr. Fukushiro Nukaga, Minister of State for Defense 2006 Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs(Baghdad) 2008 Mr. Akira Amari, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ms. Seiko Hashimoto, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs 2009 Mr. Shinzo Abe, Former Prime Minister(Prime Minister's Special Envoy) - From Iraq to Japan
-
Year Name 1985 Mr. Tariq Aziz, Foreign Minister 1986 Mr. Sadiq Hamid Al-Wash, Health Minister 1989 Mr. Taha Moheydeen Ma'rouf, Vice President Mr. Mohammad Mahdi Saleh, Trade Minister 1990 Mr. Isam Abdelraheem Chalabi, Oil Minister 1994 Mr. Wisam Shauqat Al-Zahawi, Special Envoy Wisam 1997 Mr. Abdul Amir Al-Anbari, Special Envoy 2003 Mr. Ali Abdulameer Allawi, Minister of Trade 2004 Mr. Al-Abadi, Minister of Communication Dr. Mohammed Al Uloom, Chairman of the Governing Council Dr. Ali Allawi, Minister of Trade Dr. Khidr Abbas, Minister of Health Dr. Latif Rashid, Minister of Water Resources Dr. Ala'din Alwan, Minister of Education Dr. Abdul Amir Al Abood, Minister of Agriculture Mr. Muhammad Tawfiq, Minister of Industry and Minerals Dr. Mehdi Al-Hafidh, Minister of Planning and Development Co-operation Mr. Sami Azara Al Ma'jun, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Mr. Abdul Kareem, Minister of Environment Mr. Ali-Hassan, Governor of Al-Muthanna Dr. Braham Salih, Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Mehdi Hafedh, Minister of Planning & Development Cooperation Dr. Aiham Ai-Sammarae, Minister of Electricity Ms. Nasreen Barwari, Minister of Municipality & Public Works Dr. Muhammed Ali Al-Hakim, Minister of Communication Dr. Ala'din Alwan, Minister of Health 2005 Mr. Mohammed Zaien, Senior Vice Minister of Industries and Minerals Mr. Hajim Al-Hasani, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Transitional Government Ms. Nasreen Barwari, Minister of Public Works Mr. Ammar Al-Saffar, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health Mr. Hoshyar Zebari, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ibrahim al-Ja'afari, Prime Minister Dr. Ibrahim Bahr Al-Uloum,Minister of Oil 2006 Dr. Hussain Al-Shahristani, Minister of Oil 2007 Mr. Tariq Al-Hashimi, Vice President Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, Prime Mnister 2008 Mr. Naseer Al-Ani, Head of Presidential Council 2009 Mr. Hoshyar Zebari, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr．Hussain Al-Shahristani, Minister of Oil (April and July) Mr. Fawzi Hariri, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources
Cultural Exchange
| 1978 | Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Republic of Iraq on Cultural Exchange |
Cultural Grant (cumulative total fiscal 1975-2004)
75.1 million yen (Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects)
Recent Trends in Bilateral Relations
Iraq has been under the severe UN economic sanction and resumption of the function of the Japanese Embassy has not been materialized yet. The bilateral relations, therefore, remain constrained.
- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Interview on the Issue of Iraq (March 2003)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the Meeting of the Leaders of the United States, Britain, Spain and Portugal in Azores (March 2003)
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Koichi Haraguchi, Permanent Representative of Japan, at the Public Meeting of the Security Council on the Situation in Iraq (March 2003)
- Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Reports by UNMOVIC and IAEA to the United Nations Security Council on the Inspections in Iraq (March 2003)
- Japan's Diplomatic Efforts on the Issue of Iraq (March 2003)
- Special Envoys of the Prime Minister on Iraq Issue (February 2003)
- Meeting Between Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi and Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier Solana (February 2003)
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Koichi Haraguchi, Permanent Representative of Japan, at the Public Meeting of the Security Council on the Situation in Iraq (February 2003)
- Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Reports by UNMOVIC and IAEA to the United Nations Security Council on the Inspections in Iraq (February 2003)
- Speech by Mr. Toshimitsu Motegi, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan at the Munich Conference on Security Policy "The Global Challenge of International Terrorism" (February 2003)
- Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Presentation of Information regarding the Iraqi Issue by US Secretary of State Powell (February 2003)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the reports by UNMOVIC and IAEA to the United Nations Security Council on the inspections in Iraq (January 2003)
- Dispatch of Special Envoys of the Prime Minister concerning the Issue of Iraq (November 2002)
- Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of the U.N. Security Council Resolution on Iraq (November 2002)
- Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on Iraq's Acceptance of UN Weapons Inspections without Conditions (September 2002)
- Japan-Iraq Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Summary) (September 2002)
- Measures in Japan to Facilitate Smooth Implementation of the U.N. Assistance Program for Iraq (December 2000)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the Selection of Members of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) concerning Iraqi Issues (March 2000)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the Appointment of the Executive Chairman of the UNMOVIC concerning the Disposal of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq (January 2000)
- Emergency Aid for Afflicted People in Iraq (February 1999)
- The Situation in the Republic of Iraq, and Measures Taken by Japan (December 1998)
Press Secretary's Press Conference on Iraq
| Year | Month | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | October | 20 |
| 2002 | December | 6, 10, 17, 20 |
| November | 26 | |
| 2001 | February | 2 |
| 2000 | December | 22 |
| September | 22 | |
| 1999 | February | 26 |
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