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JPN | Sep 24, 2022

Japan/Jamaica relationship getting stronger

/ Our Today

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Jamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett in dialogue with Shunsuke Takei Japan’s State Foreign Affairs Minister during a courtesy call on his Tokyo offices Friday, September 24, 2022. (Photo: Twitter @syunsuke_takei)

On the 58th anniversary of Japan and Jamaica establishing diplomatic relations, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett yesterday (September 23) discussed the establishment of a Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre in Japan.

Bartlett, who is in Japan on official business made a courtesy call on Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shunsuke Takei at his offices in Tokyo during which these two matters were discussed.

Both ministers highlighted the historic bilateral relationship that has existed between both countries since
1964, which represents 58 years of a partnership founded on mutual respect, common values, trust, and transparency.

The robust discussion touched on several high-level areas such as economic cooperation, agriculture, tourism, education, energy, health and several other areas that are important to their development
agenda.

“I welcome the frequent high-level political engagements between our countries which has been an excellent way of maintaining the strong mutual commitment to enhance our partnership,” said Bartlett.

2024 to be commemorated as ‘Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year’

For his part, Shunsuke Takei thanked Bartlett and the Government of Jamaica for the continued cooperation and said the year 2024 has been designated as the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year that
will see significant activity in the region.

In confirming the mutually beneficial partnership, Minister Takei cited Jamaica’s strong cultural assets, such as its renowned Blue Mountain coffee and reggae music, which are widely loved by the Japanese.

A woman inspects Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee beans for defects before the product can be packed in barrels for export. (Photos: Blue Mountain Coffee Jamaica)

Minister Bartlett pointed out that the tourism industry will be a big part of Jamaica’s efforts and beyond the immediate economic recovery, focus must be on long-term strategies to make the industry more
resilient to various shocks.

According to Bartlett, “I believe that Japan, as one of the most resilient countries in the world, can develop even stronger ties in the field of tourism resilience with Jamaica. The establishment of a
satellite Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre would foster more discussions around resilience and resilience building.”

Established in 2018, the ultimate purpose of the centre is to assist destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that impact tourism and threaten economies and
livelihoods globally.

Currently, there are satellite centres across the globe including Kenya, Canada and Jordan.

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