Japan-Latvia Relations

November 27, 2023

Basic Data

Diplomatic Relations:

  • Establishment of the Japan-Latvia diplomatic relations: October 10, 1991
  • Establishment of the Embassy of Japan in Riga: January, 2000
  • Establishment of the Embassy of Latvia in Tokyo: April, 2006

Japanese Nationals in Latvia:

  • 69 Japanese residing in Latvia (as of October, 2022)
    (Source : Annual Report of Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas)

Latvian Nationals in Japan:

  • 126 Latvian residing in Japan (as of December, 2022)
    (Source : Immigration Services Agency of Japan)

Trade with Japan (in Japanese Yen):

Export to Latvia: 4 billion
(2022: rubber products (mainly automobile tires), Mechanical / electrical equipment, Chemicals / Pharmaceuticals)
Import from Latvia: 17 billion
(2022: timber, minerals, Optical equipment)
(Source: Trade Statistics of the Ministry of Finance of Japan)

Visitors between Japan and Latvia (2019)

  • From Japan to Latvia: 20,416 (Source: Japan National Tourism Organization)
  • From Latvia to Japan: 2,749 (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan)

VIP Visits

From Latvia to Japan (after 2001)
Year Name
2001 Sep. H.E. Mr. Aigars Kalvītis, Minister of Economics
2002 Mar. H.E. Mr. Raimonds Vējonis, Minister of Environment
2006 Feb. H.E.Mr. Artis Pabriks, Minister of Foreign Affairs
2006 Apr. H.E. Mr. Aigars Kalvītis, Prime Minister
2007 Jun. H.E. Mr. Artis Pabriks, Minister of Foreign Affairs
2008 May H.E. Mr. Ainārs Šlesers, Minister of Transport
2009 Jan. H.E. Mr. Ivars Godmanis, Prime Minister
2009 Mar. H.E. Mr. Gundars Daudze, Speaker of Saeima (Parliament)
2009 Oct. H.E. Ms. Tatjana Koķe, Minister of Education and Science
2011 Jul. H.E. Mr. Artis Kampars, Minister of Economics
2012 Mar. H.E. Ms. Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of Saeima (Parliament)
2012 Mar. H.E. Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs
2012 Oct. H.E. Mr. Andris Vilks, Minister of Finance
2013 Apr. H.E. Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister
2015 Aug. Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Former President of Latvia, President of the World Leadership Alliance Club of Madrid
2015 Oct. H.E. Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs
2017 Jan. H.E. Ms. Dana Reizniece - Ozola, Minister of Finance
2017 Dec. H.E. Mr. Māris Kučinskis, Prime Minister
2018 Feb. H.E. Mr. Raimonds Bergmanis, Minister of Defence
2019 Jun. H.E. Ms. Inara Murniece, Speaker of the Saeima
2019 Oct. H.E. Mr. Egils Levits, President of Latvia
2019 Oct. H.E. Mr. Ralfs Nemiro, Minister for Economics
2021 Aug. H.E. Mrs. Andra Apine-Levite, First Lady of President of Latvia
2022 Sep. H.E. Ms. Ilze Indriksone, Minister for Economics
2023 Sep. H.E. Mr. Aigars Strupišs, President of the Supreme Court of Latvia
From Japan to Latvia (after 2001)
Year Name
2001 Dec. Mr. UETAKE Shigeo, Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs
2006 Jul. Mr. CHUMA Koki, Minister of State for Special Missions
2006 Oct. Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs
2007 May Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress
2009 Oct. Mr. EDA Satsuki, President of the House of Councillors
2012 Oct. Mr. HAMADA Kazuyuki, Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs
2014 Jul. Mr. YAMAZAKI Masaaki, President of the House of Councillors
2015 Apr. Mr. SONOURA Kentaro, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
2018 Jan. Mr. ABE Shinzo, Prime Minister
2018 Jul. Mr. NAKASONE Hirofumi, President of the Japan-Latvia Parliamentary Friendship Association
2018 Sep. Mr. OKAMOTO Mitsunari, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
2021 Jul. Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2022 Oct. Ms. YOSHIKAWA Yuumi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
2023 Jul. Mr. NAKASONE Hirofumi, President of the Japan-Latvia Parliamentary Friendship Association, Ambassador on Special Mission
2023 Aug. Mr. NAGAHAMA Hiroyuki, Vice-President of the House of Councillors

Others

  • -Sister City Relationship: Kobe and Riga; Higashigawa (Hokkaido) and Rūjiena (Currently, Rūjiena is integrated into Valmiera Municipality, due to municipality integration.)
  • -The Saeima Group for Promoting Cooperation with the Parliament of Japan was set up in February, 1996
  • -The Japan-Latvia Parliamentary Friendship Association was set up in July, 1996.
  • -Japan-Latvia 100th Anniversary of Friendship, 2021
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