Press Releases
Award Ceremony of Foreign Minister’s Certificate of Gratitude to the Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Team
July 30, 2026
On the afternoon of July 30, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held an award ceremony at the Iikura Guest House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present the Foreign Minister’s certificates of gratitude to the members of the Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Teams. At the ceremony, Minister MOTEGI presented certificates of gratitude to the representatives of the JDR Teams who were dispatched in response to the damage caused by the cyclone in Sri Lanka last year (2025) and the fire incident at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill in the Philippines this year (2026).
- At the beginning of the award ceremony, while expressing his condolences to those who lost their lives and his sympathy to all those affected by the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, Minister MOTEGI delivered an address, paying his respect and gratitude to the Medical Team who dedicated themselves to medical activities in Sri Lanka, and to the Expert Team who provided a wide range of technical advice on firefighting, environmental impact assessment, and waste management in the Philippines, mentioning that messages of gratitude had been received from the people of both countries for these activities, and that such efforts have led to deepen trust from the international community towards Japan.
- Dr. KUROZUMI Taketo, Deputy Leader of the Medical Team dispatched to Sri Lanka, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the recipients of the award. He also expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and cooperation received in the disaster-stricken areas, and stated his intention to continue providing support to Sri Lanka from Japan .