Katsuya Watanabe: Azerbaijan will always remain a special country to me

Japanese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Katsuya Watanabe has released a video message marking the end of his nearly three-year diplomatic mission in the country, reflecting on his work and thanking the Azerbaijani people for their cooperation and hospitality.

According to Report, the video was published on the Japanese Embassy's social media pages.

"Since arriving in this country in December 2023, I have met a great many people and gained countless valuable experiences. These three years have been a fruitful period during which many important developments have taken place in relations between Japan and Azerbaijan," the diplomat said.

Watanabe cited the hosting of COP29 in Baku in November 2024 as one of the most memorable events of his tenure.

"Numerous heads of state, government representatives and experts from around the world came to the Azerbaijani capital to discuss climate change, a common challenge facing all humanity. The world's attention was focused on Azerbaijan, and that image remains vivid in my memory," he said.

The ambassador also highlighted Azerbaijan's participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka, where the country presented a pavilion themed "Seven Bridges to Sustainability", inspired by Nizami Ganjavi's poem "The Seven Beauties".

According to the diplomat, the two international events helped strengthen ties between the countries.

Watanabe emphasized the development of cooperation in energy, decarbonization, transport, logistics and investment. He also highlighted Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov"s visit to Japan in June 2026.

"Japan and Azerbaijan are geographically far apart. However, our countries are important partners that trust each other and are ready to cooperate," he stressed.

The diplomat expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for assisting in the evacuation of Japanese citizens from Iran through Azerbaijani territory in June 2025 and March 2026.

Watanabe placed particular emphasis on humanitarian ties, noting Azerbaijanis' interest in the Japanese language, culture and martial arts.

"Azerbaijan will always remain a special country for me," the diplomat said, thanking the country's government and people for their support and cooperation.

Watanabe expressed hope that friendship between the two countries would continue to grow stronger.