ISLAMABAD, JUNE 20 (DNA) – Ambassador of Japan Kuninori Matsuda has emphasized the need for further collaboration as there are lots of potentials to develop between the two countries.

Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda expressed these views on the occasion of reception he and Mrs. Naoko Matsuda hosted to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Japan Self-Defense Forces Day.

Lt. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, HI(M), Adjutant General, General Headquarters, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Colonel Mamoru Nanjo, Defense Attaché, Embassy of Japan, represented the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF).

The reception was attended by the parliamentarians, senior civilian and military officials of the Government of Pakistan, members of the diplomatic community and other dignitaries from the public and private sectors.

JSDF Day celebrates the establishment of the Japan Defense Agency and the inauguration of the Japan Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces on 1st July, 1954. The Japan Defense Agency was upgraded to the Ministry of Defense in 2007.

Ambassador Kuninori Matsuda during his speech touched upon the various aspects of the long history of Japan-Pakistan friendship .

He said that JSDF in collaboration with Pakistani forces carried out missions at the times of natural disasters and counter-piracy operations in the waters off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, called CTF-151.

A unit of antisubmarine patrol aircraft, P-3C, and vessels from Maritime Self Defense Force participated in a multinational naval exercise called AMAN which was organized by the Pakistan Navy recently to advance mutual understandings.

On recent development of Japan-Pakistan defense cooperation, Ambassador Matsuda informed that on Tuesday June 18th, Japan and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation and Exchanges and hoped that defense cooperation between the two countries would keep expanding further.

On the same day, the seventh round of Japan-Pakistan Security Dialogue was held, where two sides exchanged views on security policies as well as regional and global issues, said Ambassador Matsuda.

The students of NUML attired in beautiful red and white dresses sang national anthems of both countries. The students sang Japanese national anthem in Japanese language and got hug applause from the audience.

Traditional Japanese dish sushi was ostensibly the most sought after dish during the entire event. Jumbo prawns were yet another Japanese delicacy that snatched guests attention.=DNA

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