National Day Reception to celebrate His Majesty the Emperor's Birthday
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On 3rd March, 2022, the National Day Reception to celebrate His Majesty the Emperor’s Birthday was held at the Ambassador's residence with Mr. V. Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs, as the guest of honour.
The reception was graced by the presence of distinguished guests from the Indian Government, representatives of foreign diplomatic missions as well as Japanese nationals living in India. The national anthems of both India and Japan were played at the beginning of the reception, followed by remarks by Ambassador Suzuki. Some videos showcasing Japanese culture, innovative technology and Japanese food were screened on a large display followed by a kendo (Japanese martial arts) performance by the Kendo Club of Japan Association Delhi.
In his speech, Ambassador Suzuki congratulated His Majesty the Emperor on his 62nd birthday and mentioned that the Bodhi tree in the Embassy’s garden was planted by the His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus on his visit to India in 1960 when he was still a crown prince. The tree is a symbol of the longstanding friendship between Japan and India. He further mentioned on this special year 2022 as the 70th anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and Japan and mentioned it as a good opportunity to look back and celebrate the long history of interactions between our two countries. He further explained that March 3 is the Dolls' Festival in Japan and that the Hina dolls on display on the stage are customary to pray for happiness and prosperity and referred to a similar custom practiced in South India. He also explained that the Ikebana displays on the stage was a wonderful convergence of Japanese quest of beauty and Indian sense of meditation, praising the Ohara school of Ikebana, Delhi Chapter for the installations.
Participants enjoyed Japanese Food and Japanese sake, particularly AWA SAKE.
The reception also kicked off the commemorative events to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and India.
