NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (April 13, 2022) – – Premier Hon. Mark Brantley, Foreign Affairs Minister for St. Kitts and Nevis, on Wednesday, April 13, welcomed to the island of Nevis His Excellency Yutaka Matsubara, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Federation.

“Ambassador Matsubara has come to see us for the very first time in St. Kitts and Nevis and I’m absolutely delighted to have you. Ambassador as you know we’ve had very good relations with Japan now for some 37 years so it’s been a very long relationship and it has been one that really has been very beneficial. Many of our people have benefitted from training in Japan.

“Japan has contributed to us in terms of fisheries, for disaster management and control, and in fact, our people from Solid Waste have traveled there to see best practices in terms of the environment. I want to thank you and your government for the contributions to St. Kitts and Nevis over the years.

“We are delighted to have you and we welcome you to Nevis,” Mr. Brantley said during the Ambassador’s courtesy call at his office in Pinney’s Estate.

Ambassador Matsubara conveyed warm wishes on behalf of the Emperor of Japan, His Majesty Hironomiya Naruhito.

“I have the honour of representing Japan in this beautiful country. My Emperor wants me to promote the friendly relationship between our two countries and also he extends his heartfelt sympathy for the impact of the coronavirus on this country,” he said.

Ambassador Matsubara on Wednesday presented his Credentials to His Excellency Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton, the Governor General. During his April 12 to 14 trip the Ambassador will pay courtesy calls on Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris; Deputy Premier of Nevis Hon. Alexis Jeffers, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources; and Permanent Secretary Ms. Kaye Bass, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation.

Ambassador Matsubara is accompanied by his spouse, Mrs. Masako Matsubara, and Ms. Megumi Maekawa, Second Secretary.