Press release, 1 March 2016
Delegation under the leadership of Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, visiting Japan met with Masaaki Yamazaki, President of the Japanese House of Councillors. The meeting focussed on the overview of successful bilateral relations and the possibility to use the mutual potential and move towards strategic partnership.
Recalling the 25th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Japan, the Speaker of the Seimas noted that Lithuania and Japan share a history of nearly 100 years of bilateral relations. The Speaker thanked the President of the House of Councillors for the help that Japan had extended to Lithuania during the periods of political difficulties and stressed that despite the geographic distance, the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries today encompass many areas, such as politics, economy, science, and culture. In addition, Lithuania and Japan share common values, strong mutual respect and trust, as the Speaker said.
“We are delighted to witness successful parliamentary cooperation both on the highest level and on the level of friendship groups,” Mrs Graužinienė said recalling her previous meeting with Masaaki Yamazaki during his visit to Lithuania in 2014.
The Speaker of the Seimas was happy to observe well-established and growing economic relations between Lithuania and Japan and invited Japanese business to be more active in using Lithuania’s potential in the areas of tourism, trade, investment and innovations. In the opinion of the Lithuanian politician, Lithuania stands as a good market for Japanese goods and a gateway to other markets in the European Union.
“We invite Japanese business to make use of a well-developed infrastructure of transport and logistics in Lithuania in order to safely and speedily transport their goods through the territory of Lithuania to other European markets,” Loreta Graužinienė said.
The official visit of the delegation under the leadership of the Speaker of the Seimas, Loreta Graužinienė, to Japan on 28 February – 5 March 2016 is organised in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Japan.
Neringa Mikėnaitė, Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6344, +370 698 42 759, e-mail: neringa.mikenaite@lrs.lt