KARACHI: The Consul General of Japan in Karachi, HATTORI Masaru, highlighted Japan’s contributions to Pakistan’s socio-economic development in the areas of disaster prevention, healthcare and education at the “Emperor’s Birthday Reception” marking the 66th birthday of His Majesty, Emperor Naruhito, held at local hotel on Tuesday evening.
The event was attended by Governor Sindh, Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori, Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani, Spokesperson of Sindh Government Nadir Nabil Gabol, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, media and others.
In his address Consul General HATTORI expressed his pleasure at hosting his third national day reception in Karachi and described the occasion as an opportunity to reflect on the longstanding friendship between Japan and Pakistan, built on mutual respect, shared values, and sustained cooperation over more than seven decades.
He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Pakistan and collaborating with the federal and provincial governments to promote mutual development and prosperity.
He said that the bilateral relationship has continued to grow through close engagement at both the national and provincial levels, including here in Sindh and Balochistan.
Highlighting recent diplomatic engagements, he recalled that in September last year, Japan and Pakistan held the 13th Foreign Secretary Level Bilateral Political Consultations, as well as the 9th Japan-Pakistan High-Level Economic Policy Dialogue for two consecutive days.
“These meetings reaffirmed our shared commitment to regular and constructive dialogue on bilateral, regional, and global issues,” he said, adding that the economic dialogue provided an important forum for discussions on exports and investment promotion, and bilateral economic cooperation.
He further highlighted that the 8th Japan-Pakistan Government-Business Joint Dialogue, the Pakistan Business Forum, and the 10th Pakistan-Japan Private Sector Business Dialogue were held in Tokyo last month.
According to the Consul General, these dialogues and the forum brought together senior government officials and leading business representatives from both countries and sent a strong and positive signal of our shared commitment to promoting private-sector-led growth.
He noted that the Pakistan Japan Business Forum (PJBF), which led the private-sector delegation from Pakistan, expressed a high level of interest from the Pakistani private sector regarding business with Japan.
“PJBF has been dedicated to promoting trade and investment between our two countries, and I deeply value their outstanding efforts during this mission,” he added.
Alongside economic initiatives, the Consul General said that Japan’s development cooperation remains an important pillar of our bilateral relationship, citing recent projects supported under Japan’s Grassroots Grants Assistance, including state-of-the-art medical equipment in Karachi.
He added that all these multifaceted efforts, from economic dialogues to cultural exchanges, serve as a testament to the depth of our bond.
“Japan-Pakistan relations are built on trust, friendship, and shared aspirations,” he reiterated.
Looking ahead, he said, Japan remains firmly committed to working with Pakistan to further deepen our partnership across the political, economic, and cultural spheres.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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