Chilean Ambassador Gustavo Ayares (center) joins Mitsunari Okamoto, parliamentary vice foreign minister (left), and Ryu Shionoya, president of the Japan-Chile Parliamentary Friendship League, during a reception to celebrate the 207th anniversary of Chile's independence at International House of Japan in Tokyo on Sept. 20. |  YOSHIAKI MIURA
Chilean Ambassador Gustavo Ayares (center) joins Mitsunari Okamoto, parliamentary vice foreign minister (left), and Ryu Shionoya, president of the Japan-Chile Parliamentary Friendship League, during a reception to celebrate the 207th anniversary of Chile's independence at International House of Japan in Tokyo on Sept. 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Armenian Ambassador Grant Pogosyan (center) and his wife, Natalia, pose for a photo with Yasumine Satake, president of the Japan-Armenia Business and Culture Initiative, during a reception to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Armenia's independence at Hotel Okura, Tokyo on Sept. 21. |  YOSHIAKI MIURA
Armenian Ambassador Grant Pogosyan (center) and his wife, Natalia, pose for a photo with Yasumine Satake, president of the Japan-Armenia Business and Culture Initiative, during a reception to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Armenia's independence at Hotel Okura, Tokyo on Sept. 21. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Uzbekistan's chairman of the state committee for tourism development, Aziz Abdukhakimov (left), poses for a photo with Kyoko Nakayama, former ambassador to Uzbekistan and Upper House lawmaker, during a reception to celebrate the country's independence day at Hotel Okura, Tokyo on Sept. 22. |  YOSHIAKI MIURA
Uzbekistan's chairman of the state committee for tourism development, Aziz Abdukhakimov (left), poses for a photo with Kyoko Nakayama, former ambassador to Uzbekistan and Upper House lawmaker, during a reception to celebrate the country's independence day at Hotel Okura, Tokyo on Sept. 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Malaysian Investment Development Authority's Tokyo office director, Zahirul Ishak (left), poses for a photo with Koichi Hosaka, joint general manager of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Tokyo at the Dialogue Session for Investment Opportunities in Food and the Halal Industry in Malaysia at SMBC headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 26. |  EDLEEN OTHMAN
Malaysian Investment Development Authority's Tokyo office director, Zahirul Ishak (left), poses for a photo with Koichi Hosaka, joint general manager of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Tokyo at the Dialogue Session for Investment Opportunities in Food and the Halal Industry in Malaysia at SMBC headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 26. | EDLEEN OTHMAN