Public Diplomacy

The third Kumamoto Prefecture PR event was held in Singapore. This time, under the theme of "Kumamoto Prefecture – The Land of Water – The cultural and historical hub of sake and shochu – ", the event focused on showcasing Kumamoto's beautiful "water", drawing significant interest from attendees. This article introduces this event, which was also officially recognized as part of the Commemorative Events of the 2026 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Singapore (SJ60).

In February 2026, Ambassador Sone, Japan’s Ambassador to Chile, visited Minamisanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture, and met the mayor and students of the town to discuss ways to further strengthen their relations with Chile. This article introduces an overview of Ambassador Sone’s visit and the long-standing ties between Minamisanriku Town and Chile through the Moai, which is a symbol of reconstruction.

Okinawa Prefecture PR events were held twice in Georgia. The charms of Okinawa’s food, culture, and history were widely promoted through Okinawan food products, awamori, and promotional videos. Visitors commented that it was their first opportunity to experience such a diverse and attractive food culture from Okinawa. In particular, awamori attracted strong interest as it was compared with Georgia’s traditional distilled spirit, “Chacha.” In addition, moves toward future business development in the local market are underway, raising expectations that these initiatives will expand beyond cultural promotion to actual economic activities.

Friendship exchanges between Owariasahi City and the Kingdom of Tonga began through the Friendship Country Program associated with Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan. Since then, for more than 20 years, a wide range of exchanges have continued, including homestay programs, school exchanges, and events introducing Tonga. In March this year, Mr. Inagaki, Japanese Ambassador to Tonga, visited Owariasahi City, further strengthening the friendship between the two communities through a courtesy visit to the mayor and interactions with elementary school students.