It is a great joy for my country Switzerland to celebrate 160 years of diplomatic relations with Japan! From precision and ingenuity to our love of nature and a shared commitment to multilateralism, we have much in common. Our bilateral relations were first established thanks to the pioneering spirit of Swiss watchmakers. They came to Japan to explore a new market for their innovative products and ended up concluding the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1864. To this day, entrepreneurship and economic exchanges remain at the core of our ties. Recently, Japan has been the strongest driver of Swiss exports to Asia. Here in Japan, a growing presence of Swiss companies makes Switzerland the 8th largest investor. Our friendship continues to expand: new Swiss representations in Osaka, Kyushu and soon Hokkaido, in addition to lively cultural and people-to-people exchanges, are proof of this dynamism. On the road to Expo 2025, our public diplomacy program Vitality.Swiss highlights the diversity and breadth of our relations with an emphasis on sustainability, health and innovation. Happy anniversary!

Over the past 160 years, Japan and Switzerland have developed a dynamic and prosperous relationship. Switzerland is now an important partner for Japan that shares universal values such as freedom, democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, and the rule of law. In fact, we are cooperating closely in various fora in the international community, including addressing global challenges in the United Nations Security Council of which we are both non-permanent members in 2023 and 2024. Meetings and exchanges between leaders and high level representatives of both governments and parliaments are extremely active. Our cooperation in the fields of business, academia, science and technology, culture, and people-to-people exchange is also steadily expanding. At the local governmental level, sister city relationships have reached as many as 17. I am excited to mark the 160th anniversary with you, and very much hope that it will further strengthen these close ties between our two countries beyond 2024 into the future.