Cameroon-Japan : Magnifying Mutually-beneficial Cooperation

Relations between Cameroon and Japan have been described as growing from strength to strength with concerted efforts to consolidate and further deepen it for the mutual benefits of the two countries and their people. Osawa Tsutomu, Japan’s Ambassador to Cameroon, made the remark on Friday February 14, 2020 in Yaounde in a colourful reception ceremony at the Hilton in honour of the 60th anniversary of his country’s Emperor. Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, represented President Paul Biya at the ceremony attended by scores of diplomats and cabinet Ministers among other invitees.
Friday’s ceremony was unprecedented as it was the first for Emperor Naruhito who officially ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne as Japan’s new Emperor on October 22, 2019. Emperor Naruhito took over from his father Emperor Akihito who abdicated in May 2019.  Naruhito’s reign officially started on May 1 but he had to pass through a series of traditional rituals inside the imperial palace in Tokyo for the ascension to the throne to be formalized. Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute represented President Paul Biya at the enthronement ceremony in Tokyo.
Ambassador Osawa Tsutomu said this year’s celebration also coincides with the Olympic Games billed for Tokyo. Coming after that of 1964 when Cameroon first participated in the global athletics competition, the Japanese diplomat said Japan will once again be pleased to see Cameroonian athletes showcase their talents in the upcoming competition.
Cooperation ties between Cameroon and Japan, the Ambassador said, covers a multitude of sectors notably agriculture, fisheries, health, education, infrastructure and human development. A group of Japanese volunteers under the banner of Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, he added, are into so many domains of national life in Cameroon to improve the wellbeing of Cameroonians.
Jointly-funded Cameroon-Japan projects in Cameroon and how they are impacting national life were on display at the Friday’s event site. Am...