From left: Chang-Liang Weng, deputy minister of the Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan; Frank C. T. Hsieh, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan; and Toshiro Shirasu, president of the Japan Fisheries Association hold up pieces of Taiwanese grouper at a promotional event at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan on Dec. 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
From left: Chang-Liang Weng, deputy minister of the Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan; Frank C. T. Hsieh, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan; and Toshiro Shirasu, president of the Japan Fisheries Association hold up pieces of Taiwanese grouper at a promotional event at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan on Dec. 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

Romanian Ambassador Tatiana Iosiper (left) shares a toast with Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League Secretary-General Akihisa Nagashima during a reception to celebrate Romania's national day at the Hotel Okura Tokyo on Nov. 30. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Romanian Ambassador Tatiana Iosiper (left) shares a toast with Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League Secretary-General Akihisa Nagashima during a reception to celebrate Romania's national day at the Hotel Okura Tokyo on Nov. 30. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

UAE Ambassador Khaled Alameri (left) shakes hands with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Motome Takisawa, during a reception celebrating the 45th anniversary of UAE national day at the Palace Hotel Tokyo on Dec. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
UAE Ambassador Khaled Alameri (left) shakes hands with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Motome Takisawa, during a reception celebrating the 45th anniversary of UAE national day at the Palace Hotel Tokyo on Dec. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

Somsanouk Vongsack (center), charge d'Affaires a.i. of Laos raises her glass with (from left) Takako Ito, assistant chief of protocol, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Office; Shinako Tsuchiya, chairman of the Japan-Laos Parliamentary Friendship League; Kazuya Nashida, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Southeast and Southwest Asia Affairs Department; and Itsuo Hashimoto, Japan-Laos Association president, during a reception celebrating the 41st national day anniversary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic at the embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Somsanouk Vongsack (center), charge d'Affaires a.i. of Laos raises her glass with (from left) Takako Ito, assistant chief of protocol, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Office; Shinako Tsuchiya, chairman of the Japan-Laos Parliamentary Friendship League; Kazuya Nashida, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Southeast and Southwest Asia Affairs Department; and Itsuo Hashimoto, Japan-Laos Association president, during a reception celebrating the 41st national day anniversary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic at the embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA