Belgian Ambassador Gunther Sleeuwagen (center) joins State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoji Muto (left) and Secretary-General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dirk Achten at a reception celebrating 150 years of friendship between Belgium and Japan at the embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Belgian Ambassador Gunther Sleeuwagen (center) joins State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoji Muto (left) and Secretary-General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dirk Achten at a reception celebrating 150 years of friendship between Belgium and Japan at the embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Orix Corp. Senior Chairman Yoshihiko Miyauchi (left) receives his credentials as honorary investment counsellor of Pakistan from Minister Economic, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Talat Imtiaz during a ceremony at the embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 16. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Orix Corp. Senior Chairman Yoshihiko Miyauchi (left) receives his credentials as honorary investment counsellor of Pakistan from Minister Economic, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Talat Imtiaz during a ceremony at the embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 16. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Qatar Ambassador Yousef Mohamed Bilal (center) and his wife Jamila Al Suwaidi welcome Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party General Council and Chairman of the Japan-Qatar Parliamentary Friendship League Toshihiro Nikai during a reception celebrating the country's National Day at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on Dec. 18. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Qatar Ambassador Yousef Mohamed Bilal (center) and his wife Jamila Al Suwaidi welcome Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party General Council and Chairman of the Japan-Qatar Parliamentary Friendship League Toshihiro Nikai during a reception celebrating the country's National Day at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on Dec. 18. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Kenyan Ambassador Solomon Karanja Maina (third from right) joins in a toast with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan Katsuyuki Kawai (second from right) and Ambassador Norio Maruyama (right), director general for the Africa Affairs department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the Marriott, Tokyo on Dec. 14. | KENYA EMBASSY
Kenyan Ambassador Solomon Karanja Maina (third from right) joins in a toast with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan Katsuyuki Kawai (second from right) and Ambassador Norio Maruyama (right), director general for the Africa Affairs department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the Marriott, Tokyo on Dec. 14. | KENYA EMBASSY


Ambassador of Ireland Anne Barrington (left), Princess Takamado (second from left) and the ambassador's husband, Ed Miliano (right), attend a reception held at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Dec. 17 to celebrate Father Donal Doyle, who was awarded the
Ambassador of Ireland Anne Barrington (left), Princess Takamado (second from left) and the ambassador's husband, Ed Miliano (right), attend a reception held at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Dec. 17 to celebrate Father Donal Doyle, who was awarded the "Presidential Distinguished Award for Service Abroad" from the President of Ireland on Dec. 3, 2015. Donal is a well-known figure in Tokyo, especially among his former students at Sophia University. | IRELAND EMBASSY