Japan-Maldives Relations
Courtesy Call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs KUNIMITSU by H.E. Mr. Ahmed MAHLOOF, the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Maldives to Japan
May 29, 2026
On May 29, Ms. KUNIMITSU Ayano, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call by H.E. Mr. Ahmed MAHLOOF, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Maldives to Japan. The overview is as follows.
- State Minister KUNIMITSU welcomed that the presentation of the Letter of Credential of Ambassador Mahloof who has long served as a football player and as Minister for Youth and Sports was successfully conducted, and stated that she would like to further develop the cordial relations between Japan and Maldives by working closely with him in various areas.
- State Minister KUNIMITSU also stated that Maldives is an important partner towards realizing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” and that Japan has long provided economiccooperation to the Maldives such as the implementation of the improvement of the seawall in Male Island. In response, Ambassador Mahloof shared his appreciation for Japanese economic cooperation and stated that he would like to make efforts to further strengthen the bilateral relations toward the forthcoming 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations between Maldives and Japan next year.
- In addition, State Minister KUNIMITSU, while reiterating the importance of maintaining and strengthening the open and free international order based on the rule of law, explained the updated FOIP. She also stated that Japan would like to continue coordinating in the field of maritime security.