Jigmi Wangdi

The Embassy of Japan organised the annual Japan Week in Bhutan from October 27 to 31 to mark 35 years of Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) in Bhutan.

Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Pema Choden, and Ambassador of Japan to Bhutan Hiroshi Suzuki, along with officials from the Embassy of Japan, Japan Foundation in New Delhi, JICA Bhutan Office, and senior government officials attended the ceremony.

The ceremony featured demonstrations by the Bhutan Karate Association and the Bhutan Judo Association, and Japanese music performances by artists from Japan and students of Pelkhil School.

The Japan Week held annually has been an opportunity for the people of Bhutan, especially the youth to better understand Japan’s rich history and diverse culture, thereby further strengthening the close bonds of friendship and cooperation which exist between Bhutan and Japan.

JICA Bhutan Office has been working to enhance the socio-economic development of the Bhutanese people since 1988.

Since then, JICA has dispatched a total of 641 Japanese volunteers in 14 dzongkhags in the country.

The JICA volunteers have contributed to a diverse range of fields such as agriculture and forestry, education, vocational training, architecture and infrastructure, and health, among others.

The Japan Week was formally launched on October 22, 2006, in Thimphu as part of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bhutan and Japan.

Since then, the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi has been organising the Japan Week in Bhutan annually.