Japan-Central America Year 2005
Outline

• The year 2005 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the five Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
• The diplomatic relations between Japan and the above-mentioned five Central American countries were officially established in February 1935 when then-MInister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mexico Hori was appointed to represent the Japanese Government in these five countries as well.
• The five countries, together with the neighboring countries of Panama and Belize, will host an exhibition at the Central America Joint Pavillion, as members of the Central American Integration System (Sistema de Integracion Centroamericana: SICA), at Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan (Exposition of Global Harmony) to be held during the period of March to September 2005.
• Upon such occasion, the year 2005 will be designated the Japan-Central America Year 2005 and commemorative exchange events are scheduled to be conducted, which will cover various areas from politics and economy to culture and more. A total of eight countries comprising the seven SICA members (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) and its associate member (Dominican Republic) will take part in this Japan-Central America Year 2005.