Yasuhiro Atsumi | Thank you, Jamaica! You will rise stronger after Melissa!

On behalf of the people and Government of Japan, I would like to express my sincere condolences and sympathy to all the people and the Government of Jamaica for the lives lost and horrible damages caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Japan stands in full solidarity with the people of Jamaica. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected, and we pay tribute to the courage and resilience of the Jamaican people as recovery begins.

The government of Japan, through JICA, delivered emergency relief goods, such as tents, sleeping pads, and portable jerry cans, to ODPEM to support the people who have been most affected by Melissa.

Time has come! I am leaving this lovely and dynamic country of Jamaica after two years and eleven months. I am happy to tell you that the last almost three years of my life as ambassador of Japan has been the best time of my whole life so far. Jamaica has been very nice to me, and I owe a lot of thanks to all the people I have met here, especially Minister Johnson-Smith and her people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and all the diplomatic corps.

Before I came to Jamaica in December 2022, I knew that Jamaica was a country of beautiful beaches and the Blue Mountain coffee, and of Bob Marley, but I have learned more about Jamaica: a long history of the Tainos, the colonial period, and seven national heroes, Jamaican delicious food of ackee and saltfish and jerk chicken, quiet tourist spots of the Treasure Beach and Portland in addition to popular Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.

I have had a privilege of representing my country and working to strengthen the relationship between Japan and Jamaica, the J-J Partnership.

60TH ANNIVERSARY

The year 2024 was the 60th anniversary of our diplomatic relations and we celebrated it with so many successful cultural events. We achieved the collaboration concerts by an Okinawa fork song group and famous reggae musicians, the Japanese Photo Exhibition at the National Gallery both in October last year, and my lecture on Japanese culture at UWI, Mona in September last year. I am also proud that I started the Karate Ambassador’s Cup in 2023 with the International Shotokan Karate Federation in Jamaica.

As for the exchange of people, Minister Johnson-Smith visited Japan three times during my tenure. I had a privilege to accompany her to Japan in February last year. The speaker of the House, Juliet Holness, visited Japan last February by the invitation of Japanese Parliament. It is amazing that she received a certificate of making sushi! Regarding the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) programme with Jamaica, it has expanded to include SEA (Sport Exchange Advisor) for the first time from this year, in addition to ALT (Assistant Language Teacher). An Olympian was selected as the first SEA from Jamaica, and she is now coaching running skills to Japanese athletes in Tottori Prefecture, which has a sister-city relationship with the Westmoreland parish.

The Japanese government has been especially focusing on security, education, and climate change in Jamaica. Japan’s commitment has been getting stronger. In education, we have provided 15 school buses so far, and more will come. At the hand-over ceremonies, I was so overjoyed to see all the smiles from the children of recipient schools, who did not have a safe and reliable transportation between their homes and the schools.

I am sure that Japan, under the newly elected first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Jamaica, under Prime Minister Andrew Holness, will strengthen J-J Partnership based on our common values of freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and market economy.

MACRO-ECONOMIC

During my tenure, Jamaica has been in a good macro-economic condition, probably the best condition since Independence, such as a low and stable inflation rate and a reduction of the debt-GDP ratio to almost 60 per cent, a reduction of the poverty ratio to eight per cent.

I also wish Minister Grange a success in her dream of hosting a World Athletics Championship Games in the National Stadium, which Jamaica deserves. You know, at the last World Athletics Championship Games in Tokyo this September, Jamaica gained 10 medals in total, which are the third highest among all the countries. Jamaica deserves to host a World Athletics Championship Games!

I also witnessed Jamaican democracy at the last general election this September, which was conducted in a free, fair and a peaceful manner. I especially enjoyed watching the three-time political debates between the JLP and the PNP. I was moved by Mr. Mark Golding’s speech to accept the result of democratic process. The two-party system is working well in Jamaica.

Another good thing happening in Jamaica is a reduction of crimes especially murders during the last three years. Especially this year, the murder rate has decreased by 40 per cent so far compared with last year. The JCF is doing a very good job under the commissioner of police, Dr. Kevin Blake. I wish him and the JCF a continuing success so that Jamaica will become proud of itself as one of the safest countries in the world.

It is my firm belief that Jamaica is destined to become a prosperous and advanced country, as advocated by “Vision 2030”. Jamaica has so many powerful and energetic people with a positive attitude and resilience. People say Jamaica is punching above its weight. But I believe Jamaica is punching just at its weight, because it has such enough weight to punch because of Jamaicans’ energy and power. Look! Who is the fastest runner in the world?

I am confident that after Melissa Jamaica will rise again with resilience and will recover and rebuild the country, which will be stronger than before.

And Melissa strengthens J-J Partnership! Jamaica will live on in my heart forever as my second home country. Thank you, Jamaica, the land I love!

Yasuhiro Atsumi is the outgoing ambassador of Japan to Jamaica. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com