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On May 17, the Republic of Fiji appointed Takayuki Moriya Fiji\u2019s honorary consul general in Sendai in the Tohoku region for his contributions to amicable bilateral relations. Moriya is the president of recycled car parts dealer Mitsumori Corp., which is based in Sendai.<\/p>\n
Fiji\u2019s Ambassador Isikeli Mataitoga handed Moriya the Consular Commission, signed by Fiji\u2019s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Inoke Kubuabola, in a ceremony that took place at the Koyo Grand Hotel Sendai.<\/p>\n
Moriya was congratulated by some 400 attendees including Diet members, businesspeople and members of non-governmental and non-profit organizations. The guest of honor was Kenya Akiba, the senior vice minister for health, labor and welfare, who doubles as the senior vice minister for post-disaster reconstruction.<\/p>\n
Moriya\u2019s appointment \u201cis a reflection of the good will enjoyed between Japan and Fiji since 1970 in the promotion of economic, commercial and people-to-people relations between the two countries,\u201d the embassy said.<\/p>\n
In a humanitarian assistance offered by the Fiji government to Japan after the March 11, 2011, disaster, Fiji provided 11 scholarships for tsunami-affected students to undertake high school and undergraduate-level studies in Fiji for one year.<\/p>\n
With the establishment of the new Honorary Consulate General in Sendai, Ambassador Mataitoga is confident that Fiji stands to gain much more from deepening its tourism, trade and investment promotion in not only Miyagi Prefecture, but also throughout the Tohoku region.<\/p>\n