Japan-Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship League Inaugurated in Tokyo

By Punarimam Fehintola
The Japan-Nigeria Parliamentary League was inaugurated yesterday, Wednesday, 28th November, 2018 at the First Members Hall of the Lower House in the Japanese Parliamentary Building, Tokyo.
According to a statement signed by Dr. Tiwatope Elias-fatile minister embassy of Nigeria, Tokyo Japan, the Ambassador of Nigeria in Japan, Professor Mohammed Gana Yisa, said that the long-awaited inauguration of the Friendship League, which is a platform for legislative collaboration between both countries, has initiated a new era in Nigerian-Japan “cherished relations.”
He highlighted the crucial roles of the legislative arm of any government and emphasized the need to share parliamentary experiences across borders for mutual benefits, adding that this informed the formation of the Parliamentary League, to focus on legislative partnership between Japan and Nigeria.
In the same vein, Professor Yisa expressed his conviction that since both countries share common values and aspirations, the League will strengthen direct engagement, cooperation and exchanges between parliamentarians of both countries and this should impact on the quality of legislation for the Peoples of Nigeria and Japan.
He expressed optimism that the platform will play a key role in strengthening the relations between the parliaments of both countries and will strengthen the excellent ties that have been in existence between Nigeria and Japan since the 1960s.
The Ambassador congratulated Hon. Kazunori Tanaka (Member of the Japanese House of the Representatives) and Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, the co-chair from the Nigerian side, who would serve as pioneer leaders of this collaborative League, which has become another platform to deepen ties and mutual understanding between both countries.
Japanese parliamentarians who attended the event included Hon. Kiyoshi Ejima (Member of Upper House) who delivered the opening speech at the event; Hon. Kazunori Tanaka (Member of Lower House) who also delivered a statement at the event and Hon. Hiroyuki Miyazawa (Member of Lower House). Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo who graced the occasion included Ambassador Shigeru Ushio, Director-General of African Affairs Department and Ambassador Kaname Araki, Director of First Africa Division of the African Affairs Department.