Press Releases

1. On March 10, Mr. Yasuhide Nakayama, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, received letters congratulating the Japan-SICA Friendship Year and the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Central American Countries sent from Presidents of the Republic of Nicaragua, the Republic of Honduras, the Republic of El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Panama, the Republic of Costa Rica, and the Republic of Guatemala to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The letters were respectively handed from Ambassador of Nicaragua, H. E. Mr. Saul Arana, Ambassador of Honduras, H. E. Ms. Marlene Villela de Talbott, Ambassador of El Salvador, H. E. Ms. Martha Zelayandía, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, H. E. Mr. Héctor Domínguez, Ambassador designate of Panama, Mr. Ritter Díaz, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Costa Rica, Ms. Lilliam Rodríguez, and Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Guatemala, Mr. Cristobal Herrera. (A congratulatory message from The Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize, to Prime Minister Abe has been separately received).

2. Letters from Prime Minister Abe congratulating the Japan-SICA Friendship Year have been sent to Presidents of Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Dominican Republic as well as to the Prime Minister of Belize, which are member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

3. Since the year 2015 marks the 80th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and several Central American countries, the year is set as the Japan-SICA Friendship Year and various commemorative events are scheduled to be held.