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Speech by H.E. Mrs. Miyoko AKASHI Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Speaker of Seimas,

Members of Seimas,

Excellencies Ambassadors,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great honor to be present at the opening of the Photo Exhibition commemorating the 20^th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Lithuania and Japan together with the Speaker of Seimas, Mrs. Irena Degutiene.

Just yesterday seven months passed since the unprecedented earthquake and tsunami attacked the East Japan. It was a strange coincidence that the very day, March 11, is a day of the Declaration of Independence of Lithuania in 1990. These two incidents seem to have hardly any relation to each other. But I could see one important word common. That is a challenge to people.

No need to explain how proudly the challenge of Lithuania people brought back their own independence. And I’m sure that Japanese people take the Great East Japan Earthquake as their own challenge and try hard to recover themselves and to establish a new style of society more resistant to natural disasters of the future.

So the photo-panels of the Great East Japan Earthquake, before and now, are also exhibited. We would like to show you those affected people very much encouraged and standing up already with your kind messages and supports.

And I sincerely wish that many people of Lithuania watching the photos exhibition will renew our friendly ties and promote our partnership for the better future of the world.

Now I’d like to read the message from Minister for Foreign Affaires of Japan, Mr. Koichiro Genba.