Diplomatic Bluebook 2021
Photo Index
Opening Special Feature
- G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held via video conference for the first time (March 26)
- G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held via video conference for the first time (March 26)
- Japan-Indonesia Summit Meeting held with masks on and barriers installed (October 20, Indonesia; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- The main street in central Wuhan completely devoid of cars
- Driver of a bus headed to the airport
- “武汉加油” (Stay strong, Wuhan) signages seen through the window of a bus headed to the airport
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential for preventing the infection of healthcare workers (Photo: Global Fund, ©RED/Jonx Pillemer)
- Foreign Minister Motegi announcing Japan's contribution to the AMC at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) co-hosted by Japan (October 8)
- Foreign Minister Motegi announcing Japan's contribution to the AMC at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) co-hosted by Japan (October 8)
- Handover ceremony for provision of medical equipment to Laos (August 23, Laos)
- Provision of syringe pumps
- Handover ceremony for provision of medical equipment to Honduras (September 10, Honduras)
- Provision of hygiene supplies to Sudan through UNDP (Photo: UNDP)
- Handwashing support provided to Myanmar through UNICEF (Photo: UNICEF)
- Human resource development support at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana (Photo: JICA/Iizuka Akio)
- The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Viet Nam that was provided with medical equipment (Photo: JICA/Yoshida Katsumi)
- Exchanging views and opinions with members of the local government (municipality) that is responsible for health surveillance at border points of entry, and the Ministry of Health and Population (author on front left side) (Photo: IOM)
- Signing ceremony for the Emergency Support Loan for Mongolia (October 9, Mongolia)
- Live streaming of a regular press conference by Foreign Minister Motegi
- Prime Minister Suga receiving a courtesy call from IOC President Bach (November 16, Tokyo; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting (March 16, 2021, Tokyo)
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
- Prime Minister Suga and his wife visiting Viet Nam (October 19; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Prime Minister Suga and his wife visiting Indonesia (October 20; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Japan-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (February 15, Munich, Germany)
- Japan-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (November 24, Tokyo)
- Online Japanese quiz tournament sponsored by the Consulate-General of Japan in Chongqing First year Japanese language students from eight universities in Sichuan participated (June 14)
- Chinese maritime structures confirmed to have been built near the geographical equidistance line between Japan and China (Photo: Ministry of Defense)For details, see https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/c_m1/page3e_000356.html
- Chinese maritime structures confirmed to have been built near the geographical equidistance line between Japan and China (Photo: Ministry of Defense)For details, see https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/c_m1/page3e_000356.html
- Japan-Mongolia Foreign Ministers' Meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs N. Enkhtaivan (October 9, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia)
- Japan-Singapore Foreign Ministers' Meeting (August 13, Singapore)
- Courtesy call to Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha by Foreign Minister Motegi (January 7, Bangkok, Thailand)
- Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakayama meeting Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Babo (January 14, Dili, Timor-Leste)
- Japan-Philippines Foreign Ministers' Meeting (January 9, Manila, Philippines)
- Prime Minister Suga visiting Viet Nam (October; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Japan-Laos Foreign Ministers' Meeting (August 23, Laos)
- 13th Japan-India Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue (October 7, Tokyo)
- 13th Japan-India Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue (October 7, Tokyo)
- Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kokuba attends the Donor Conference on Sustaining Support (teleconference) for responses to the displaced persons from Rakhine State of Myanmar (October 22, Tokyo)
- Japan-Australia Summit Meeting (November 17, Tokyo; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Transportation of Australian Defense Force vehicles by the SDF transport aircraft (Photo: Ministry of Defense)
- Australian Firefighters boarding the SDF aircraft (Photo: Ministry of Defense)
- Foreign Minister Motegi meets with Prime Minister Marape (August 21, Papua New Guinea)
- Video message from Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakanishi on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Fiji (October 22, Tokyo)
- At the 23rd Japan-ASEAN Summit Meeting where the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases was announced (November 12, Tokyo; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- 12th Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting (November 13. Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Mekong River (November, Krong Kracheh, Cambodia)
- Foreign Minister Motegi speaking at the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting (teleconference) (September 9, Tokyo)
- Prime Minister Suga attending the 15th East Asia Summit (EAS) (teleconference) (November 14, Prime Minister's Office; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Foreign Minister Motegi attending the Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Video Teleconference on COVID-19 (March 20, Tokyo)
- Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting (October 6, Tokyo)
- Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting (October 6, Tokyo)
- Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting (March 16, 2021, Tokyo)
- Japan-U.S. Summit Joint Press Conference (April 16, 2021, Washington, D.C.; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Juntos!! Japan-Latin America and the Caribbean Exchange Program (young diplomats and government officials for CARICOM member states) (February 2, Japan Olympic Museum; Photo: JTB)
- Japan and Central American Integration System (SICA) friendship commemoration ceremony (September 15, Tokyo)
- State Minister for Foreign Affairs Suzuki meeting with Foreign Minister Araujo of Brazil (February 14, Brasilia, Brazil)
- Signing ceremony for the “Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of technologies related to the Production and Use of Niobium and Graphene” and the “Tomé-Açu Memorandum of Cooperation on the Sustainable Use of the Biodiversity of the Amazon” during the visit to Brazil by Foreign Minister Motegi (January 8, 2021, Brasilia, Brazil)
- Bon Odori dance event organized by ANBG (2019)
- ANBG's Japanese drum (taiko) group (the author is in the back row, second from left) (2019)
- Sports meet organized by ANBG (2019)
- Japan-Argentina Foreign Ministers' Meeting (January 7, 2021, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- Announcement of the logo to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japan-Uruguay diplomatic relations during Foreign Minister Motegi's visit to Uruguay (January 6, 2021, Montevideo, Uruguay)
- Japan-Paraguay Foreign Ministers' Meeting (January 7, 2021, Asunción, Paraguay)
- Japan-EU Leaders Video Teleconference Meeting (May 26, Tokyo; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Japan-UK Foreign Ministers' Meeting (August 5, London, UK)
- Performance by the Tomioka Dance Club in “Japan Matsuri Presents 2020” (September, online event, Photo: Tomioka Dance Club)
- Japanese cuisine demonstration in “Japan Matsuri Presents 2020” (September, online event, Photo: Japan Matsuri)
- Japan-France Foreign Ministers' Meeting (October 1, Paris, France)
- Japan-Germany Foreign Ministers' Video Teleconference Meeting (October 1, France)
- 100th anniversary commemorative logo for the two countries
- 100th anniversary commemorative logo for the two countries
- Official telegram approving the dispatch of the first envoy extraordinary of Czechoslovakia to Japan, Karel Pergler (collection of the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
- Kyogen performance at the Senate of the Czech Republic
- Tree-planting by Ambassador of Japan to the Slovak Republic, Nakagawa Makoto, and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Korčok
- Executive Director Morikawa giving a speech at the seminar organized by ASEF (December 10, Singapore; Photo: ASEF)
- Photograph with participants of the seminar organized by ASEF (Center: Executive Director Morikawa) (December 10, Singapore; Photo: ASEF)
- Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (February 15, Munich, Germany)
- Meeting between the Co-chairs of the Japan-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues (December 21)
- Exchanges between High School Students through Online Japanese Language Courses, one of the Japan-Russia Youth Exchange Programs (November; Photo: Japan-Russia Youth Exchange Center)
- “Introduction to Japanese Culture (Sakhalin Calligraphy Class),” Japan-Russia Grassroots Exchange Program (October, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia)
- Foreign Ministers' Special Video Conference of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue (August 11, Tokyo)
- Meeting between Foreign Minister Motegi and Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Umurzakov (December 15, Tokyo)
- Prime Minister Abe meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (January 12, Ulah, Saudi Arabia; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Japan-Iran Foreign Ministers' Meeting (February 15, Munich, Germany)
- Prime Minister Abe attends the opening ceremony for Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital (May 21) (Photo: Sojitz Corporation)
- Japan-Saudi Arabia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (October 3, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
- Japan-Kuwait Foreign Ministers' Meeting (October 3, Kuwait, Kuwait)
- Foreign Minister Motegi delivers a video message at the Afghanistan Conference in Geneva (November 24) (Photo: UN Photo/Violaine Martin)
- Foreign Minister Motegi pays a courtesy call to Tunisian President Saide (December 9, Tunis)
- Foreign Minister Motegi pays a courtesy call to Tunisian Head of Government Mechichi (December 9, Tunis)
- Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakatani visits Morocco as part of the Public and Private Sector Joint Mission for Promoting Trade and Investment in Africa (February, Morocco)
- Japan-Mauritius Foreign Ministers' Meeting (December 13, Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius)
- Courtesy call to President Sall of Senegal (January 11, 2021, Dakar, Senegal)
- Japan-Kenya Foreign Ministers' Meeting (January 13, 2021, Nairobi, Kenya)
- Visit to the JDR team by Prime Minister Jugnauth (August 13, Blue Bay, Mauritius; Photo: JICA)
- Foreign Minister Motegi paying a courtesy call to Prime Minister Jugnauth (December 13, Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius)
- Foreign Minister Motegi inspecting the extent of damages from the oil spill and the status of recovery in Mauritius (December 13, Riviere Des Creoles estuary, Mauritius)
- Japan-Mozambique Foreign Ministers' Meeting (December 11, Maputo, Mozambique)
- Japan-Senegal Foreign Ministers' Meeting (January 11, 2021, Dakar, Senegal)
- Shirato Keiichi, Professor, College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University
CHAPTER 3
- Japan-UK CEPA signing (October 23, Tokyo)
- Consultation between Foreign Minister Motegi and Secretary of State for International Trade Truss (August, United Kingdom)
- The two ministers after the signing of the Japan-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (October, Tokyo)
- Foreign Minister Motegi attending the WTO Informal Ministerial Meeting hosted by Australia, and engaging in a discussion on WTO reform and other matters (October 27, Tokyo)
- Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Suzuki Hayato attending the WTO's virtual Ottawa Group Ministerial Meeting chaired by Canada (November 23, Tokyo)
- State Minister for Foreign Affairs Washio Eiichiro attending the OECD Ministerial Meeting (virtual meeting) (October 29, Tokyo)
- G7 Leaders' Video Conference (April 16, Tokyo; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- G20 Riyadh Summit (November 22, Tokyo; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Gentian cultivation in Rwanda (Photo: Hachimantai City)
- Japanese and local officials delighted with the first shipment of “Ashiro Rindo” gentians produced in Rwanda (Photo: Hachimantai City)
- State Minister for Foreign Affairs Wakamiya giving a speech at the 10th Session of the IRENA Assembly (January 11, Abu Dhabi, UAE)
- Foreign Minister Motegi (Photo: Watanabe Shigeki)
- SAKANA-KUN holding the letter of appointment
- Logo of SDGs Goal 14 (Photo: United Nations Information Center)
- Foreign Minister Motegi inspecting the coastal area in Mauritius
- Logo of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
- Logo of the 1970 Osaka Expo (Photo: Osaka Prefectural Government)
- Tower of the Sun (Photo: Osaka Prefectural Government)
- TEAM INARI at the press conference for the announcement of the Best Logo Design Award (Photo: Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition)
CHAPTER 4
- Prime Minister Kishi and President Eisenhower at the signing ceremony of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty (January 19, 1960, Washington D.C., U.S.; Photo: Jiji)
- Logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of the signing and entering into force of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty (Image: U.S. Embassy in Japan)
- Prime Minister Abe with Ms. Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower (front row, fourth from the left), at the Reception to Commemorate the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty (January 19, Tokyo)
- The first Japan-U.S. “2+2” meeting convened under the Biden administration (March 16, 2021, Tokyo)
- Students engaging in discussions
- Students dancing together
- Visiting a UNESCO associated school (a public junior high school in Tokyo) (July 2019; Photo: UNESCO)
- Students learning from a teacher who had participated in the program in Japan (June 2020, Indonesia; Photo: UNESCO)
- State Minister for Foreign Affairs Uto participating in the G20 Anticorruption Ministers Meeting (held online) (October 22, Tokyo)
- Uotsuri Island of the Senkaku Islands
- © Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- United Nations Headquarters (Photo: UN Photo/Andrea Brizzi)
- Address by Prime Minister Suga at the Seventy-Fifth Session of the UN General Assembly (pre-recorded video) (September 26, Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
- Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the G4 Countries (Japan, India, Germany, Brazil) on UN Security Council Reform (September 23, held via videoconference)
- Building where the HCCH office is located(The Hague, the Netherlands)
- Streets of The Hague: The Peace Palace that houses the International Court of Justice
- United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights (Geneva, Switzerland; Photo: UN Secretariat of the Forum on Business and Human Rights) (Convened as an online event in 2020)
- Cover of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights (2020-2025)
- the Committee on the Rights of the Child Otani Mikiko, Lawyer
- Meeting between UN Women Executive Director Mlambo-Ngcuka and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Omi (January 7, New York)
- The first train arriving in the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Construction Project (Line 1) (October, Viet Nam)
- Ceremony to mark the partial completion, Patimban Port Development Project (December, Indonesia)
- Elementary school building construction support provided through Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (Myanmar)
- Signing Ceremony of the Exchange of Notes for Grant Aid aimed at supporting measures against COVID-19 (June 7, Malé, Maldives; Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives)
- Before and after the Project for Reconstruction of the Nippon Causeway (Kiribati; Photo: Dai Nippon Construction Co., Ltd.) Before reconstruction
- Before and after the Project for Reconstruction of the Nippon Causeway (Kiribati; Photo: Dai Nippon Construction Co., Ltd.) After reconstruction
- “Hand-washing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus disease) countermeasure training” in Totonicapan Department (September 22, Guatemala; Photo: JICA)
- X-ray diagnostic system provided to the Tashkent Region Cancer Clinic (September 10, Uzbekistan; Photo: JICA)
- Exterior view of E-JUST with establishment of new faculties under Japan's support in progress (November, Egypt; Photo: JICA)
- Exterior view of E-JUST with establishment of new faculties under Japan's support in progress (November, Egypt; Photo: JICA)
- Newly established quarantine facility (Syria; Photo: UNHCR)
- The author (on the right of Mr. Grandi) introducing the quarantine facility to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi (center front) (Syria; Photo: UNHCR)
- Staff of UNHCR and partner organizations preparing to receive Syrian repatriates at the quarantine facility (Syria; Photo: UNHCR)
- The author (right) and colleagues heading to a camp for internally displaced persons in Pauktaw by an OCHA boat (Photo: OCHA)
- Scene at a camp for internally displaced persons in Sin Tet Maw (Photo: OCHA)
- Scene at a camp for internally displaced persons in Kyauk Ta Lone (Photo: OCHA)
- Appointment Ceremony of the New Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (April, Tokyo)
- The 1st Meeting of the Advisory Board for Promoting Science and Technology Diplomacy (The author is seated second from the right of the table) (September, Tokyo)
- Prof. Matsumoto at the panel discussion at the Japan- Sweden SICORP Symposium (November, Tokyo)
- “Contribution to International Peace (Mindanao, Philippines),” promotional video on Japanese policy (released on November 11, 2020, on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' YouTube channel and broadcast by CNN International)
- Lecture and demonstration on Japanese cuisine (January 27, Miami, U.S.)
- Lecture and demonstration on Japanese cuisine (February 17, La Paz, Bolivia)
- Lecture and demonstration on the Japanese art of flower arrangement (ikebana)(January 6, Hong Kong, China)
- Kyogen performance to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Czech Republic (September 23, Prague, Czech Republic)
- NIHONGO Partners playing an active role at the dispatch destination (February, Indonesia; Photo: Japan Foundation)
- Film directors Hirokazu Koreeda, Bora Kim (the Republic of Korea), and actress Hashimoto Ai, taking the stage at the “Asia Lounge” Conversation Series of the Tokyo International Film Festival (November, Tokyo ©2020 TIFF; Photo: Japan Foundation)
- Briefing session on studying in Japan, undertaken by the diplomatic mission overseas (February, France)
- Pre-departure orientation for JET Programme participants, held at the Embassy of Japan in New Zealand (November, New Zealand)
- Presentation of triathlon supplies, delivered through the provision of equipment project under the SFT program (February, Rwanda)
- Winning a gold medal at my fourth Paralympic Games, for the third consecutive Games!
- Teaching swimming to children with a visual disability as a member of JICA's Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. Children everywhere in the world have the same aspirations!
- Release of video series discussing Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, through the eyes of foreign Japanese studies researchers and from the perspective of their respective expertise (Photo: Japan Foundation)
- Strengthening Japan-U.S. relations from the grassroots (dispatch program) (March, Texas, U.S.; Photo: The Japan Foundation for Global Partnership)
CHAPTER 5
- WIPO Headquarters building during the COVID-19 lockdown (May)
- The author addressing staff at the 2020 New Year celebration (February, WIPO Headquarters)
- “Tama,” a feline companion, who offers solace through long working hours at home. In this photo, Tama is sitting on the author's lap and staring at the screen. (Photo: ©UNDP)
- Presenting relief supplies and expressing appreciation to the waste collectors, who continue to work hard to keep our environment clean in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. (Photo: ©UNDP)
- Children who have received a food basket at a refugee camp in Lebanon (© PARCIC (PARC Interpeoples' Cooperation))
- The first meeting of the Partnership Promotion Committee of the NGO-MOFA Regular Consultation Meeting (November 24, Tokyo)
- Students enjoying reading in the completed library
- Completed school library
- Staff receiving online training from experts
- Visiting farmers and explaining nature-derived organic pesticides and how to use goggles, gloves and jumpers when spraying theses pesticides (the author on the left)
- Teaching farmers agricultural methods (the author is fourth from the left)
- With farmers who studied agricultural methods (the author is in the front row, fourth from the left)
- Foreign Minister Motegi presenting a greeting at a reception co-hosted with the Governor of Iwate Prefecture (February 7, Iikura Guest House, MOFA, Tokyo)
- Diplomatic corps visiting the Karako Kagi Remains History Park, Tawaramoto Town, Nara Prefecture on Diplomats' Study Tour (November 18)
- Lacquering experience by attendees (February 7, Iikura Guest House, MOFA, Tokyo)
- Local Partnership Cooperation Forum Participants interacting at an opinion exchange (January 22, Tokyo)
- Live broadcast event held as a part of the Project to Support Overseas Presentations to Promote the Attractiveness of Regions (December 19, Beijing, China)
- Show of support from Thailand Show of support from Odate City, Akita Prefecture (March 13, Photo: Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
- Archery friendly match between Chișinău, Moldova and Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture (September 12, Photo: Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture)
- MOFA Overseas Travel Registration “Tabi-Regi”(only in the Japanese language)
- MOFA Overseas Safety App Overseas safety website “About the Overseas Safety App” Can be downloaded from: (only in the Japanese language)
- the passport holder's former surname
- Poster announcing the issuance of the 2020 passport
- “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” from “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” used in the design of the 2020 passport *2
- Extraordinary Press Conference by Foreign Minister Motegi (August 6, London, UK)
- MOFA's official website
- MOFA's official facebook account
- MOFA's official twitter account
- MOFA for Kids(Japanese language website only)
- Lectures on the International Situations (November 26, Fukushima City Board of Education)
- One of the Diplomatic Talks (December 7, Ferris University)
- One of the Talks for High School (October 22, Shizuoka Prefectural Yaizu Chuo High School)
- Periodical journal “Diplomacy”
- “Talks for High School” at Hachinohe Kita High School
- At the reception for celebrating the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor
- Steamed dish (Seafood chawanmushi)
- Publishing videos on Japanese cuisine on Instagram
