NUML students sing national anthems of Japan and Pakistan. PHOTO: DNA
Besides signing an MoU on defence cooperation, both the countries have held security dialogue recently, he said emphasising the need for further collaboration.
Matsuda expressed these views on the occasion of the reception he and his wife Naoko Matsuda hosted to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Japan Self-Defence Forces Day.
General Headquarters Adjutant General Lt General Sahir Shamshad Mirza was the chief guest on the occasion.
Japanese Embassy Defence Attaché Colonel Mamoru Nanjo represented the Japan Self-Defence 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.
Japan Self-Defence Forces Day celebrates the establishment of the Japan Defence Agency and the inauguration of the Japan Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defence Forces on July 1, 1954. The Japan Defence Agency was upgraded to the Ministry of Defence in 2007.
Ambassador 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 during 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 Defence Force participated in a multinational naval exercise called AMAN which was organised by the Pakistan Navy recently to advance mutual understandings.
On recent development of Japan-Pakistan defence cooperation, Ambassador Matsuda informed that on Tuesday that Japan and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation and exchanges and hoped that defence 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 National University of Modern Languages (NUML) attired in beautiful red and white dresses sang national anthems of both countries. The students sang the Japanese national anthem in Japanese language and got a huge round of applause from the audience.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2019.
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