In the context of the celebrations for the 65th anniversary of Emperor Naruhito of Japan, Cabrisas received the decoration granted by His Majesty, in recognition of his efforts for more than 50 years to constantly strengthen bilateral relations.
Cuba and Japan have an extraordinary relationship, which transcends cultural borders and constitutes a pillar for our nations. And we anticipate a greater level of understanding in the near future, Nakamura said at the ceremony.
The Japanese diplomat stressed that the establishment in Cuba of the office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) represents the commitment to strengthen -currently and in the future- cooperation in essential sectors.
For his part, Cabrisas thanked the recognition and stated that it is a great honor and commitment to continue promoting bilateral relations.
When I assumed the role of ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to the government of Japan 54 years ago, I brought with me the precise instructions of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, who since then saw the possibility of turning bilateral relations around, he recalled.
The Cuban vice prime minister pointed out that after the planting of that first seed, relations in the economic, commercial, financial, political, parliamentary, sports, cultural and scientific spheres were gradually forged over more than half a century.
Today we confirm that the efforts of both countries were able to overcome the vicissitudes that arose along the long road. With the government and official institutions, we developed uninterrupted exchanges with mutual respect, stated Cabrisas.
For all the above, we have a firm commitment not only to take care of what has been achieved, but to move forward in accordance with the demands of the current moment, with new ideas, creativity and the effort to pass on to future generations this legacy of friendship, understanding and support, concluded the senior official.
The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, established in 1875, is the highest class of Japanese prestige awarded to people for distinguished services to the State in various fields; it is granted by the Emperor of Japan and recognizes significant contributions to international relations, culture and public welfare.
The award ceremony in Havana was attended by the Prime Minister of Cuba, Manuel Marrero Cruz; the head of Higher Education, Walter Baluja; the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anayansi Rodríguez; and the Chief of the National Staff of Civil Defense, Ramón Pardo Guerra.
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