TIMES GALLERYMarch 9, 2020

March 9, 2020

From Left: Norifumi Kondo, director of the South America Division of the Latin American and the Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Jaime Barberis, ambassador of Ecuador to Japan; Yuji Sudo, ambassador of Japan to Ecuador; and Kotaro Ezawa, CEO of Mamano Chocolate Inc., at an opening ceremony of "The Fine Aroma of Our Identity" exhibition hosted by the Ecuadorian Embassy and Mamano Chocolate, at the Takanawa Civic Center Gallery in Tokyo on Feb.25. Attendees enjoyed Mamano Chocolate's high-percentage cacao chocolate made with high-quality Ecuadorian fine aroma cocoa. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ECUADORIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYMarch 2, 2020

March 2, 2020

Japan's first lady Akie Abe (front row, second from left) and spouse of the minister for foreign affairs Emi Motegi (front row, second from right) pose for a group photo with President of the Society of Arab Ambassadors and Heads of Missions in Japan (SWAAJ) and spouse of the Algerian ambassador Amira Bencherif (front row, left); SWAAJ Vice President and spouse of the Egyptian ambassador Ghada Kamel (front row, right); and other members at a luncheon hosted by SWAAJ at the Egyptian ambassador's residence on Feb. 13. Other members include representatives from Lebanon, Palestine, Bahrain, Mauritania, Tunisia, Kuwait, Oman and Sudan. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 24, 2020

February 24, 2020

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (fifth from the left) and winners of the Tokyo Financial Award 2019 at Roppongi Hills for an award ceremony on Feb. 12. From left, for the ESG Investment Category, Yoshiyuki Makino, head of S&P Dow Jones Indices Japan Office; Sayaka Takatsuka and Chunmei Huang, senior directors of the Impact Investment Team, Shinsei Corporate Investment; and Masami Yabumoto, head of Capital Markets Group Investment Banking Business Unit, Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. For the Financial Innovation Category, Gentaro Tominaga, president and CEO of Frich Co.; Tal Ekroni, CEO and co-founder of Fly Money Technologies; Fumiyasu Kagami, chief operating officer of 400F Co. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 11, 2020

February 11, 2020

European Union Ambassador to Japan Patricia Flor (center row, eighth from left) with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (ninth from left) and Chairman of the Japan-EU Parliamentary Friendship LeagueNobuteru Ishihara (seventh from left), as they pose for photos with ambassadors of EU member states in Japan, and members of the Tomoko Ishii Spanish Dance Company to mark the 1st anniversary of the entry into force of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement at the Delegation of the EU to Japan’s Europa House on Feb. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 8, 2020

February 8, 2020

(From left) Special Ambassador So Takei with Ambassadors Taizo Sugimura and Nagano Olympic speed skating bronze medalist Tomomi Okazaki during a photo session after the press conference at a "World Masters Games 2021 Kansai'' promotional event on Feb. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 3, 2020

February 3, 2020

The Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter donated to Saga and Chiba prefectures, which suffered from natural disasters in 2019. Gov. Yoshinori Yamaguchi of Saga (second from right), and Vice Gov. Shinsuke Takigawa of Chiba (second from left), pose with Ioanna Charikleia Giannakarou (left), the chairperson of the fair and spouse of the Greek ambassador, and Junko Katano, president of the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter (right), during the Ikebana International Fair 2019 at the Palace Hotel Tokyo on Jan. 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 20, 2020

January 20, 2020

At the opening ceremony of "Visit Nepal 2020," Nepalese Ambassador Prativa Rana (back row, seventh from left) poses with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Norihiro Nakayama (back row, eighth from left); Visit Nepal 2020 goodwill ambassadors Hiromi Ishioka, chairman of the Nepal-Japan Friendship Society (back row, third from left), and Tokushin Kasai, chairman of Lumbini Hotel Kasai (back row, fourth from left); performers; and other guests at the reception hall of the ambassador's residence in Nakameguro on Jan. 7. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 30, 2019

December 30, 2019

Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan Frank C.T. Hsieh (left) and Wang Shu-Fang, director of the Taiwan Cultural Center, during an opening reception of the photo exhibition "Mekurumeku Taiwan" at the Taiwan Cultural Center in Toranomon on Dec. 18. This exhibition will run until Feb. 18, 2020. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 26, 2019

December 26, 2019

This year 39 embassies and 33 headmasters of various ikebana schools participated in the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter's annual Ikebana International Fair, held at the Royal Park Hotel on Dec. 17. Cutting the ribbon are Ikebana International Fair 2019 Chairperson Ioanna Charikleia Giannakarou, wife of the Ambassador of Greece (front row, far right), Honorary President Princess Takamado (front row, center) and Junko Katano, president of the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter (front row, far left). | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 23, 2019

December 23, 2019

Ambassador of the State of Qatar Hassan Bin Mohammed Rafei Al-Emadi (center) poses with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Minoru Kihara (left) and President of Komeito and Member of the House of Councillors Natsuo Yamaguchi (right) during a reception celebrating the national day of Qatar at the Imperial Hotel on Dec. 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 19, 2019

December 19, 2019

Takeya Yamasaki (second from right), executive director of tea ceremony school Chanoyu International, presents The Japan Times President Takeharu Tsutsumi with a ¥419,000 contribution to The Japan Times Readers' Fund at the daily's head office in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo on Dec. 16. The funds will be distributed mainly to overseas charities, particularly those operating in Asia, that help people in need secure better access to education. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 16, 2019

December 16, 2019

Thai Ambassador-Designate of the Kingdom of Thailand Singtong Lapisatepun (right) and Justice Minister Masako Mori (left) raise a toast to celebrate of the country’s National Day and the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on Dec. 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 10, 2019

December 10, 2019

Romanian Ambassador Tatiana Iosiper (center) with Chairman of the Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League Ichiro Aisawa (left) and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Wakamiya (right) during a reception celebrating Romania's National Day at The Okura Tokyo on Nov. 28. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 7, 2019

December 7, 2019

Matelda Starace, posing next to the Italian Embassy's Chef and Food and Drink Manager Manuel Montalbetti (center), and the National Council of YMCAs of Japan held at a pizza-making workshop for children, including those with special needs, at the embassy residence on Nov. 30. Starace has worked at a children's hospital in Guatemala and on Unicef projects, and is the spouse of Ambassador Giorgio Starace. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 2, 2019

December 2, 2019

Latvian Ambassador Dace Treija-Masi (left) joins Japan-Latvia Parliamentary Friendship League Chairman Hirofumi Nakasone (center) and Justice Minister Masako Mori in a toast to cerebrate the 101st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia at the embassy in Tokyo on Nov. 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 25, 2019

November 25, 2019

Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture Shunji Kono (fourth from right) and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (fourth from left) with Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Taku Eto (third from right); Regional Revitalization Minister Seigo Kitamura (third from left); Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of the Republic of San Marino Manlio Cadelo; and members of the House of Representatives, House of Councilors and the prefectural assembly during a sake barrel-breaking ceremony for a reception co-hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture at Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, on Nov. 8. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 18, 2019

November 18, 2019

Celebrating the 90th anniversary of Canada and Japan diplomatic relations, Destination Canada introduced their new For Growing Hearts brand at the Embassy of Canada on Oct. 30. From left: Monkey Majik members Maynard Plant and Blaise Plant; Ian Burney, Ambassador of Canada to Japan; Gloria Loree, Destination Canada, Chief Marketing Officer; Maureen Riley, Destination Canada Vice President International; and Yuji Nakazawa, former Japan National Team soccer player. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CANADIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYNovember 14, 2019

November 14, 2019

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI, the King of Malaysia (fourth from left) and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry of Malaysia Dato' Mohd Sallehhuddin Hassan (third from left) with the Ambassador of Malaysia to Japan Dato' Kennedy Jawan (fifth from right) and his wife Datin Josephine Dagang (fourth from right), other ambassadors, politicians, businesspeople and festival participants during the opening ceremony for Malaysia Fair Tokyo 2019 at Shinjuku Chuo Park in Tokyo on Nov. 2. | PHOTO COURTESY OF MUHAMMAD AMIRUL AMIN ZAKARIA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 8, 2019

November 8, 2019

The Third Class Labor Medal of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was given to Japanese actor and singer Ryotaro Sugi (left) given by Vietnam Ambassador Vu Hong Nam (right) for 30 years of charity concerts and welfare activities contributing to establishing a relationship between Japan and Vietnam, at the embassy on Oct. 30. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 7, 2019

November 7, 2019

Bilal Erdogan, president of World Ethnosport Confederation (center) with, from left, Keisuke Suzuki, state minister for foreign affairs; Hasan Murat Mercan, ambassador of the Republic of Turkey; Natsuo Yamaguchi, chief representative of Komeito; and Kanae Yamamoto, member of the House of Councillors during a reception to celebrate of the 96th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, at the embassy residence on Oct. 29. | MARIKO SHIMADA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 1, 2019

November 1, 2019

A "National Order of Merit" of the Republic of Paraguay was given to Takeo Kawamura (sixth from the left), who has been chairman of the Japan-Paraguay Parliamentary Friendship League for 15 years and made contributions to establishing a relationship between Japan and Paraguay. The medal was handed over from Hugo Velazquez Moreno (fifth from the left), the Vice President of Paraguay on Oct. 24, at the Paraguay Embassy. Paraguay Ambassador of Japan Raul Alberto Florentin-Antola (right) and his wife, Maria Liz (second from the right), former Ambassador of Japan to Paraguay Yoshihisa Ueda (forth from the left), former Ambassador of Paraguay to Japan Naoyuki Toyotoshi (third from the left), Yoshinari Okayama (back row, third from the right) Secretary General of the Japan-Paraguay Association, along with ambassadors from Latin American countries attended the ceremony. | PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAGUAY EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYOctober 28, 2019

October 28, 2019

Uganda Ambassador Betty Grace Akech-Okullo with Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinichi Nakatani (left), and Ambassador of Japan to Uganda Kazuaki Kameda (right) during a reception to celebrate the 57th Anniversary of Uganda's Independence at Palace Hotel Tokyo on Oct. 9. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 21, 2019

October 21, 2019

Honorary President Princess Takamado (right) with Venezuelan Ambassador Seiko Ishikawa, the Prince Takamado Memorial Prize winner of the ‘‘Reflections on the Heisei Era -Through Diplomats’ Eyes 2019’’ exhibition. | PHOTO COURTESY OF SHINOBU ABE

TIMES GALLERYOctober 14, 2019

October 14, 2019

Ambassador-designate of the Federal Republic of Germany Ina Lepel (center) with State Ministers for Foreign Affairs Kenji Wakamiya (left) and Keisuke Suzuki (right) during a reception to celebrate the Day of German Unity at the ambassador' s residence on Oct. 3. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 7, 2019

October 7, 2019

Ambassador of Chile Julio Fiol (second from left)with, from left, Asako Omi, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs and member of the House of Representatives; Andy Bruce, president of the Chilean Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CHCCJ); and Teru Fukui, member of the House of Representatives and executive secretary of the Japan-Chile Parliamentary Friendship League, during a reception to celebrate the 209th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Chile and the launching of CHCCJ at Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills on Sept. 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 30, 2019

September 30, 2019

On Sept. 17, the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter organized an ikebana workshop on the theme of "Wishing the Peace and Friendship Beyond the Country Through Flowers." Akie Abe (front row, center), wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, poses with 29 ambassadors and spouses at the prime minister's residence. | COURTESY OF JUNKO KATANO

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 23, 2019

September 23, 2019

A pair of Ireland fans embrace a Scotland supporter as they wait to enter International Stadium Yokohama ahead of Sunday's Pool A match between the countries at the Rugby World Cup. Ireland won 27-3, scoring four tries and earning a bonus point. | AP

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 16, 2019

September 16, 2019

Paola Faccioli (second from right), CEO of Pasticceria Cova poses with, from far left, Tokyu Corporation Executive General Manager of Retail Business Headquarters Masahiro Horie; Tokyu Corp. President and Representative Director Kazuo Takahashi; Tokyu Group Chairman of the Board, Representative Director Chairman Hirofumi Nomoto; and President of LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton Japan K.K. Norbert Leuret, during a reception at Cafe Cova Milano GINZA SIX for the grand opening of the new flagship store in Ginza on Sept. 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 7, 2019

September 7, 2019

Sagi Muki (second from left), gold medalist in the World Judo Championships Tokyo 2019 men's 81-kilogram weight class, poses with (from left) Moshe Ponte, president of the Israel Judo Association, Israeli Ambassador Yaffa Ben-Ari and Israel's national coach, Oren Smadja, during a party to celebrate Israel's first World Judo Championship men's gold medal at the ambassador's residence on Aug. 30. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 6, 2019

September 6, 2019

On Aug. 27, the leaders of the six Tohoku prefectures (Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata and Fukushima), Niigata Prefecture, the city of Sendai, the Tohoku branch of several tourism organizations and major Tohoku economic organizations visited Thailand, one of the important inbound markets for Tohoku, where they interacted with their Thai counterparts in the government, as well as tourism and airline companies in Thailand, at Intercontinental Bangkok. This is a top-level effort by the heads of Tohoku to further encourage mutual cooperation between Thailand and Tohoku. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOHOKU TOURISM PROMOTION ORGANIZATION

TIMES GALLERYAugust 26, 2019

August 26, 2019

Thai Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome (third from right) poses for a photo alongside designer Prapakas Angsusingha (far left), Thai Ambassador Bansarn Bunnag (third from left) and his wife, Yupadee (fourth from left), as well as other participants and models from the show. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 26, 2019

August 26, 2019

An event titled "Thai Textile: A Touch of Thai" was held at Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park on Aug. 19. Kiminori Iwama, chief of protocol at the Foreign Ministry, and his wife, Tomomi watch a demonstration of Thai textiles. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 19, 2019

August 19, 2019

Angela Ayllon (center), Bolivian charge d'affaires ad interim, poses with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyoto Tsuji (left) and Tomoyuki Yoshida, director-general of the Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, during a reception to celebrate the 194th anniversary of Bolivian independence at Hotel Okura, Tokyo, on Aug. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 5, 2019

August 5, 2019

French Ambassador Laurent Pic (second from left) and Frederic Mazenq (left), a spokesman for the France Tourism Development Agency, receive a donation toward the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral, which was severely damaged in a fire, from Kumamoto Gov. Ikuo Kabashima (second from right) and Kumamon, Kumamoto Prefecture's official mascot, during a ceremony at the French Embassy on July 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 1, 2019

August 1, 2019

At the opening ceremony of the World Cosplay Summit 2019, Tokumaru Oguri (front row, fourth from left), executive committee chairman of the World Cosplay Summit 2019, and Mitsuko Shino (front row, fifth from left), director-general for cultural affairs and assistant minister for the Foreign Ministry, pose with cosplayers representing 39 countries and areas at the Tokyo Dome Hotel on July 26. The World Cosplay Championship will be held at the Aichi Arts Center on Aug. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 29, 2019

July 29, 2019

At a press conference photo session during the launch event for 30% Club Japan, Shiseido President and CEO Masahiko Uotani (center) was named chair of the 30% Club while Yoriko Goto (left), board chair of Deloitte Tohmatsu, and Mellon Douglas Hymas, country executive managing director at The Bank of New York, were both named vice chair of the 30% Club. The 30% Club is a global campaign founded in the United Kingdom that aims to achieve a sound gender balance in corporate decision-making bodies. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 22, 2019

July 22, 2019

Egyptian Ambassador Ayman Kamel (second from left) and his wife, Ghada Youssef (far right), pose with Kenji Yamada, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs (far left), and Kaori Kono, wife of Foreign Minister Taro Kono, during a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate Egypt's national day at a reception at the ambassador's residence on July 8. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 12, 2019

July 12, 2019

Madagascan Ambassador Mireille Mialy Rakotomalala (center) poses with (from left) Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada; Chairperson of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League Ichiro Aisawa; Eritrean Ambassador and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo Afeworki Haile Estifanos; Kentaro Sonoura , special adviser to the prime minister; Djiboutian Ambassador and President of La Francophonie in Japan's promotion board Ahmed Araita Ali; and Asahiko Mihara, acting chairperson of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League during a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate Madagascar's 59th independence day at Hotel Okura Tokyo on June 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 11, 2019

July 11, 2019

VietJet Air announces the launch of two new routes (Narita to Ho Chi Minh City and Haneda to Danang), celebrating with a kagamiwari sake barrel-breaking ceremony. Toshihiro Nikai (far left), chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship League and secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, breaks open a barrel with (from second from left) Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc; Nguyen Thanh Hung, vice chairman of VietJet's board of directors; Isao Iijima, special adviser to the Cabinet; and Satsuki Katayama, minister of state for regional revitalization, at New Otani Hotel on July 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 8, 2019

July 8, 2019

Above: Maria Zurawska of Poland receives the Foreign Minister's Prize from Hiroyuki Yamaya, director of the Cultural Affairs and Overseas Public Relations Division and ministerial secretariat of the Foreign Ministry, at the 22nd annual Japanese Speech Contest for Foreign Embassy Officials in Tokyo. Left and far left: Byungsik Jung of South Korea, winner of the Education Minister's Prize, and Jason Hackworth of the United States, winner of the Cultural Affairs Agency Prize, deliver speeches at the competition. Below: Eleven participants from 11 embassies and organizations pose for a photo after the competition at Tokyo's Akasaka Kumin Center on June 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 8, 2019

July 8, 2019

Maria Zurawska of Poland receives the Foreign Minister’s Prize from Hiroyuki Yamaya, director of the Cultural Affairs and Overseas Public Relations Division and ministerial secretariat of the Foreign Ministry, at the 22nd annual Japanese Speech Contest for Foreign Embassy Officials in Tokyo. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 5, 2019

July 5, 2019

At his farewell reception, Danish Ambassador Freddy Svane (second from left) and his wife, Lise Frederiksen (far right), poses with Kaori Kono (far left), wife of Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and Tadahiko Ito, secretary-general of the Japan-Denmark Parliamentary Friendship League, at the Danish Embassy on July 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 1, 2019

July 1, 2019

Philippine Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V (second from left) gives a toast with (from far left) former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Norikazu Suzuki during a reception to celebrate the 121st anniversary of Philippine independence at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on June 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 24, 2019

June 24, 2019

The two co-chairmen on the Vietnam Festival 2019 executive committee, Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Hong Nam (third from right) and Former State Minister and founder of Vietnam Festival Iwao Matsuda (third from left), pose with (from left) Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Norikazu Suzuki; Satsuki Katayama, minister for regional revitalization and women's empowerment; Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife, Akie; and Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Vietnam Festival 2019 at Yoyogi Park on June 8. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 20, 2019

June 20, 2019

The Malaysian Embassy held an open house in conjunction with Eid al-Fitr, a festive celebration marking the end of Ramadan. The embassy served various festive foods at the event, which was attended by 650 members of the Malaysian community, students and honorary guests. Yoko Sakurai (far left), an official in the Foreign Ministry, poses with (from second from left) Foreign Ministry Second Southeast Asia Division Director Shingo Miyamoto, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Tokyo Director Mohd Riduan Abd Rahman, I.M. Jihan Managing Director Steven Ozeki Tan and Malaysian Ambassador Dato' Kennedy Jawan at the celebration on June 5. | COURTESY OF THE MALAYSIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYJune 17, 2019

June 17, 2019

Argentinian Ambassador Alan Beraud (second from left) joins (from left) State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications and Director-General of the Japan-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship League Yukari Sato; Diet member and President of the Japan-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship League Kozo Yamamoto; Councilor and Sub Secretary-General of the Japan-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship League Shigeharu Aoyama; and Director-General of the Foreign Ministry's Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau Takahiro Nakamae during a reception to celebrate Argentina's national day at the ambassador's official residence on May 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 13, 2019

June 13, 2019

Bulgarian Ambassador Borislav Kostov (fourth from left) poses with (from left) Director-General of The Japan Bulgaria Foundation Akiko Igaya; Japan Women's University professor and researcher in international relations and Bulgarian studies Makoto Kimura; Manya Kostova, wife of the Bulgarian ambassador; Sofia University professor and expert on East Asia Evgeniy Kandilarov; Bulgarian diplomat and translator of Japanese literature Vera Stefanova; Nishogakusha University honorary professor Junko Sugahara; and Josai International University professor and Deputy Director of the Josai Institute for Central European Studies Nobuhiro Shiba at an academic symposium on Bulgaria-Japan exchanges and cooperation at Josai University in Tokyo on June 1. The symposium was dedicated to the "triple anniversary" in Bulgaria-Japan relations: 110 years since first official contact, 80 years since the first establishment of diplomatic relations and 60 years since the restoration of diplomatic relations. | YOSHIKAI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 8, 2019

June 8, 2019

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (center) shakes hands with Jakarta city government's assistant of economics and finance regional secretary, Sri Haryati (left), and Indonesian Ambassador Arifin Tasrif during a reception to celebrate the 30th anniversary of sister city relations between Jakarta and Tokyo at Hotel Gajoen Tokyo on May 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 6, 2019

June 6, 2019

Laotian Ambassador Viroth Sundara (back row, fifth from right), his wife, Simuang (middle row, seventh from right), and Laos Festival 2019 Organizing Committee Chairman Yuji Arai (middle row, third from left) pose with Laotian Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara (middle row, sixth from left), State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe (middle row, sixth from right), Vice Secretary-General of the Japan-Lao Parliamentary Friendship Union Yuko Obuchi and other ambassadors, politicians, businessmen and festival participants during the opening ceremony for Laos Festival 2019 at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo on May 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 3, 2019

June 3, 2019

Above left: Polish Ambassador Jacek Izydorczyk (left) poses with Vice-Minister of Culture and National Heritage Pawel Lewandowski (center) and Vice-Chairman of the Japan-Poland Parliamentary Friendship Association Banri Kaieda at a press conference. Above right: Polish Ambassador Jacek Izydorczyk (second from left) and his wife, Magdalena (left), welcome Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada (second from right) and Chairman of the Japan-Poland Parliamentary Friendship Association Hirofumi Nakasone during a reception to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Poland and Japan and Poland's national day at Hotel New Otani on May 23. courtesy of the polish embassy, | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 27, 2019

May 27, 2019

Left to right: PTA Chairman, Atsubumi Taguchi; First Chairman of the Board of Directors Tsuneo Hayakawa; Rira Tsutsumi, student council representative; Head of School Trent Citrano; Suguru Yasuoka, student council representative; Former Governor of Chiba Prefecture Akiko Domoto; Chairman of the Board of Directors Kenichi Fukaya; and Director Kenichi Ishii at a commemorative tree-planting ceremony for the 10th annniversary of the Makuhari International School in Chiba Prefecture on May 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 20, 2019

May 20, 2019

Thai Ambassador Bansarn Bunnag (back row, center) and his wife, Yupadee (back row, center left), pose with guest speakers (front row, from third from left) Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Norikazu Suzuki, Minister of State Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and other ambassadors, politicians, businessmen and festival participants at the opening ceremony of Thai Festival Tokyo 2019 on May 11 at Yoyogi Park. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 13, 2019

May 13, 2019

On May 3, the Festival de Camino a Latinoamerica was held in Odaiba. Above: Angela Karin Ayllon Quisbert, Bolivian charge d'affaires ad interim (back row, center), poses with (from back row, left) Hidejiro Mimura of the association of cultural exchange between Latin America and Japan; Ryuusuke Ohki, secretary-general of the Tokyo Waterfront City Association; Hidehiro Tsubaki, chairman of the Japan-Bolivia Association; Shinji Minami, director of the Foreign Ministry's Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, South America Division; and the Bolivia Dance Company during a Sicuriada parade celebrating the 120th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Bolivia. Left: Paraguayan Ambassador Raul Florentin Antola (right) dances to music played by 104 arpa (Paraguayan harp) musicians to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Paraguay. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 10, 2019

May 10, 2019

To support the 2019 YMCA International Charity Run, the oldest charity run in Japan, the Cameroonian ambassador and his wife held a charity dinner at the ambassador's residence in Nakameguro on April 26. Cameroonian Ambassador Pierre Ndzengue (third from right) and his wife, Alphonsine (second from right), joined (from left) Kazuko Nakajima, president of Sakura Global Club, the official supporter for Japan YMCA; Bekolo Ebe Epse Bebey Ejangue Viviane, first counselor at the Cameroonian Embassy; Yuko Arimori, a Japanese Olympic marathon medalist; and Seiichi Kanzaki, the national general secretary for The National Council of YMCAs of Japan, at the event. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 6, 2019

May 6, 2019

On April 16, the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Japan (CAAJ) hosted Arab-Japan Day 2019 at the Hotel Okura Tokyo. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (front row, center) poses with (from front row, left) the ambassadors of Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen and Algeria, the ambassador of Palestinian territories and CAAJ dean, the ambassador of Djibouti and CAAJ president, the ambassadors of the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Lebanon and Iraq and (from top row, right) with the charge d'affaires of Sudan and Jordan, the ambassadors of Oman, Tunisia, Mauritania, Qatar and Kuwait, and the charge d'affaires of Libya and Saudi Arabia. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYApril 29, 2019

April 29, 2019

On April 17, Icelandic prosthetics manufacturer Ossur signed a contract with Japanese Paralympic athletes Shunsuke Itani (front row, left) and Maya Nakanishi (front row, right) during a ceremony held at the Icelandic Embassy. The athletes were joined by (back row, from left) Icelandic Embassy trade representative Halldor Elis Olafsson, Icelandic Ambassador Elin Flygenring and Ossur Japan's sales director, Shoko Nireki. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 22, 2019

April 22, 2019

The Berlin-based street art group Tape That (first to third from left) poses with German Ambassador Hans Carl Freiherr von Werthern (right) and Bunkyo Ward Mayor Hironobu Narisawa at an opening ceremony debuting the group's artwork, made with adhesive tape, at the Bunkyo Civic Center in Tokyo. Tape That is in Japan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of sister city relations between Tokyo and Berlin. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 8, 2019

April 8, 2019

The Society of Wives of Arab Ambassadors in Japan (SWAAJ) hosted a friendly luncheon in honor of Akie Abe (front row, second from left), wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Kaori Kono (front row, second from right), wife of Foreign Minister Taro Kono. Abe and Kono were joined by the wife of the Palestinian ambassador and SWAAJ President Maali Siam (front row, left); wife of the Lebanese ambassador and luncheon host Nancy Nameh (front row, right); and other SWAAJ members at the Lebanese ambassador's residence on March 18. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYApril 5, 2019

April 5, 2019

Foreign Minister Taro Kono (front row, center) joins the Dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Japan and Palestinian Ambassador Waleed Siam (third from left), Vice President and Djiboutian Ambassador Ahmed Araita Ali (third from right) and others at a dinner hosted by the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Japan at the Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo on March 18. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYApril 1, 2019

April 1, 2019

Paraguayan Ambassador Raul Florentin Antola (second from left) poses with (from left) nanduti (traditional embroidered lace) craftwork teacher Mie Elena Iwatani; Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyoto Tsuji; Chiyoda Ward Mayor Masami Ishikawa; anniversary logo designer Tai Sato; and Secretary-General of the Japan-Paraguay Parliamentary Friendship League Koichi Tani during a reception to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Paraguay at Chiyoda City Hall on March 18. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 29, 2019

March 29, 2019

Australian Ambassador Richard Fairfax Court (back row, third from left); Argentinian Ambassador Alan Claudio Beraud (back row, third from right); and Russian Ambassador Mikhail Y. Galuzin (back row, second from right), who are each ambassadors of countries participating in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, pose with (back row, from left) Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency Hiroshi Tabata; Diet members Yosuke Tsuruno and Yasutoshi Nishimura; Chairman of the Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kenichi Fujinaga (front row, center); Chairman of the Kagoshima Chamber of Commerce and Industry Yoshitaro Iwasaki (front row, second from right); and others during an event promoting tourism and local foods of Kyushu at the Tokyo Prince Hotel on March 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 25, 2019

March 25, 2019

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe (third from left) poses for a photo with (from fourth from left) Kosovan Ambassador Leon Malazogu; Ryu Shionoya, president of the Japan-Kosovo Parliamentary Friendship Group; Yoshifumi Okamura, ambassador of the Foreign Ministry's TICAD; Kadri Veseli, president of the Republic of Kosovo Assembly; Jun Saito (far right), ambassador to the Western Balkans and deputy director-general of the Foreign Ministry's European Affairs Bureau; and others to celebrate the 10th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kosovo and Japan as well as Kosovo's 11th independence anniversary at Hotel Okura Tokyo on March 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 22, 2019

March 22, 2019

Irish Ambassador Paul Kavanagh (right) visits Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu to exchange opinions on the 2019 Rugby World Cup. During the meeting at the Shizuoka Prefectural Office on March 8, the two leaders expressed hopes for future exchanges and traded souvenirs. | COURTESY OF SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE

TIMES GALLERYMarch 18, 2019

March 18, 2019

The opening ceremony of the 44th edition of the Foodex Japan international food and beverage trade show at Makuhari Messe, Chiba Prefecture, on March 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 11, 2019

March 11, 2019

Ehime Gov. Tokihiro Nakamura (third from right) poses with (from left) Toshihiro Suzuki, chairman of the Ehime Prefectural Assembly; Junzo Yamamoto, chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission and minister of state for Disaster Management; Foreign Minister Taro Kono; Diet member Takumi Ihara; and Panamanian Ambassador Ritter Nobel Diaz Gomez before breaking open a sake barrel at a reception co-hosted by the Foreign Ministry and the governor of Ehime Prefecture at Iikura Guest House on Feb. 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 8, 2019

March 8, 2019

Serbian Ambassador Nenad Glisic (center) poses with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada (left) and Naohide Ueyama, honorary consul general of Serbia and president of Kincho Dainihon Jochugiku Co., during a reception at the embassy to celebrate Serbia's national day on Feb. 15. | EDLEEN OTHMAN

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 25, 2019

February 25, 2019

El Salvadoran Ambassador Martha Lidia Zelayandia Cisneros (front row, fourth from left) poses with The National Council of YMCAs of Japan National General Secretary Seiichi Kanzaki (front row, right) and other participants at the ambassador's residence on Feb. 14. The El Salvadoran Embassy and Japan's YMCA held a joint charity lunch. "Pupusa,'' the national food of El Salvador, was served to attendees. Funds will support challenged children in Japan and improving the general hygiene of children in El Salvador. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 21, 2019

February 21, 2019

French Ambassador Laurent Pic (fourth from left) celebrates the partnership between France and Gifu Prefecture with (from left) Diet members Kozo Yamamoto, Keiji Furuya and Seiko Noda; Gifu Gov. Hajime Furuta; Councilor Akiko Santo; and Gifu deputies Yoshiaki Bito and Ikuo Nojima at the ambassador's residence on Feb. 1. | COURTESY OF FRENCH EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 20, 2019

February 20, 2019

From Feb. 8 to 11, the flower exhibition "Peace Through Flowers" was held at Haneda International Airport Terminal's Edo Theater. Twenty-two ambassadors, supervised by Masaru Akai, exhibited flower arrangements to seek peace in the world. The exhibition's opening ceremony was held on Feb. 8. Katsuji Doi, president of the Tokyo International Air Terminal Building (front row, center), event supervisor Maseru Akai (front row, eighth from left), and 21 ambassadors and their spouses attended the event to express messages of peace. | PHOTO COURTESY OF JUNKO KATANO

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 18, 2019

February 18, 2019

Shinya Katanozaka (second from right), ANA Holdings president and CEO, poses with (from left) Philippine Airlines President and COO Jaime J. Bautista; LT Group President and PAL Holdings Director Michael G. Tan; and All Nippon Airways President and CEO Yuji Hirako during a ceremony announcing a business and capital partnership between ANA Holdings and PAL Holdings at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel Tokyo on Feb. 8. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 11, 2019

February 11, 2019

On Feb. 1, European Union Ambassador Patricia Flor (front row, third from right) breaks open a sake barrel at the Delegation of the European Union to mark the beginning of the enforcement of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement together with (from left) House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Wakamiya; State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoshihiro Seki; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Takamori Yoshikawa; Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs Minister Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi; and Parliamentary Vice Finance Minister Shinichi Isa. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 4, 2019

February 4, 2019

Myanmar's ambassador, Thurain Thant Zin (center), and his wife, Khin Soe Naung (right), welcome Minister for Reconstruction Hiromichi Watanabe during a reception to celebrate the anniversary of Myanmar's 71st independence day at the embassy on Jan. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 25, 2019

January 25, 2019

During the inaugural meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission, Canadian Minister of International Trade Diversification James Gordon Carr (second from right) poses at a promotional event for Canadian beef with (from left) Greg Giokas, acting executive director for Asia of the Canada Beef International Institute; Takao Makino, managing director of Nissin Meat Products Co. Ltd.; Naoto Suzuki, president of Nissin Meat Products Co. Ltd.; and Dennis Laycraft, executive vice president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association at the Nissin World Delicatessen in Tokyo on Jan. 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 21, 2019

January 21, 2019

Nestle Japan Ltd.'s KitKat Chocolatory held a Valentine's Press Conference on Jan. 15 to launch its new Sublime Volcanic KitKat. Managing Executive Officer of the confectionary business group Cedric Lacroix (far left) poses with (from left) model Laura Yamada, professional rugby player Akihito Yamada and owner-chef of Le Patissier Takagi Yasumasa Takagi at the Maru Building, Marunochi. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 14, 2019

January 14, 2019

Kenyan Ambassador Solomon Karanja Maina (left) poses for a photo with Takahiro Iinuma, a forestry policy administrator in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, on Dec. 20 alongside two cherry blossom trees donated by the Fukushima government that have been planted on the grounds of the Kenyan Embassy. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 11, 2019

January 11, 2019

Shizuoka Mayor Nobuhiro Tanabe (front row, second from right) poses for a photo with members of the city's key organizations at a news conference at Tokyo Prince Hotel on Dec. 18 to unveil the local government's new slogan, "Shizuoka City, shining world." | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 10, 2019

January 10, 2019

Above: Egyptian Ambassador Ayman Kamel (back row, center) poses with 27 relatives of victims from the floods in western Japan in July last year who traveled to Egypt to spend the holiday season with host families between Dec. 23 and 30 on the invitation of President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi and the Egyptian government. Left: The group poses for a photo in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza and the pyramids during their stay in Egypt. | COURTESY OF THE EGYPTIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYDecember 28, 2018

December 28, 2018

On Dec. 19 at the Ginza Wako Main Building, Seiko Holdings Corp. Chairman and CEO Shinji Hattori (left) appoints actress Haruya Ayase as Seiko's "One-Day CEO." Seiko's new Dream Square building opened in Ginza on Dec. 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 27, 2018

December 27, 2018

This year, 26 embassies and 35 heads of various ikebana schools participated in the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter's annual Ikebana International Fair, held at the Royal Park Hotel on Dec. 19. Kicking-off the ribbon-cutting ceremony are Ikebana International Fair 2018 Chairperson Matelda Starace (front row, far left), Princess Takamado (front row, center) and Misako Ishii, president of the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter (front row, far right). | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 24, 2018

December 24, 2018

Kenyan Ambassador S.K. Maina (center) and his wife, Rose Maina (third from right), raise a toast with (from left) Jun Karube, chairman of Toyota Tsusho and the honorary consul for Kenya; State Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahisa Sato; Yasuhiko Yokoi, chairman of the Committee on Africa-Japan Relations; Nobuhide Hayashi, chairman of Mizuho; and Nobuhiro Endo, chairman of NEC, during a reception to celebrate Kenya's 55th anniversary of independence at the Tokyo Marriott Hotel on Dec. 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 21, 2018

December 21, 2018

Regional Revitalization Summit mayoral participants (from left) Ryuzaburo Furukawa (Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture); Hiroshi Ota (Izumi, Chiba Prefecture); Junya Tsuzuku (Hida, Gifu Prefecture); Akio Okada (Chikuma, Nagano Prefecture); Toyohiko Tanaka (Mobara, Chiba Prefecture); Atsushi Naruse (Kotacho, Aichi Prefecture); and Yasuhiro Uchida (Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture) pose during a press conference organized by the Local Tourism Council at Toshi Center Hotel on Nov. 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 20, 2018

December 20, 2018

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of bilateral relations between Venezuela and Japan and 90 years since the first Japanese immigration to Venezuela, 1the El Sistema Festival 2018 held a special gala concert at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre's Big Hall on Dec. 1. Inspired by the renowned Venezuelan El Sistema musical education program, El Sistema Japan was founded in 2012. | © FESJ / 2018 / KOICHIRO KITASHITA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 17, 2018

December 17, 2018

On Nov. 26, the Embassy of Bangladesh in Tokyo hosted a launch event for the Japanese translation of the graphic novel "Mujib." Radwan Mujib Siddiq, publisher of "Mujib" (third from left), Bangladesh Ambassador Rabab Fatima (fourth from left), Akie Abe, wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (center), Sheikh Rehana, daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (fourth from right), Toshiko Abe, state minister for foreign affairs (third from right), and Masaaki Ohashi, Japanese translator of "Mujib" (second from right), pose with copies of the book. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 14, 2018

December 14, 2018

Romanian Ambassador Tatiana Iosiper (right) joins, from left, Mihai Covaliu, Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist in fencing and president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee; Ichiro Aisawa, chairman of the Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League; Nadia Comaneci, Montreal 1976 Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics; and Kenji Yamada, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, during a reception to celebrate Romania's national day at Hotel Okura in Tokyo on Nov. 29. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 13, 2018

December 13, 2018

Italian Ambassador Giorgio Starace (center) joins Vittorio Moretti, president of Franciacorta (right), and Manlio Cadelo, ambassador of San Marino (left), to promote Franciacorta Day 2018 at the Italian ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Nov. 21. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 6, 2018

December 6, 2018

Irish Ambassador Paul Kavanagh (center) and Paul Gilsenan, president of the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC)(far right), join the winners of the 2018 IJCC Ireland Japan Business Awards, Hiroshi Ichikawa, vice president and Japan general manager of of Icon Plc (far left), Akira Oyama, corporate executive vice president of Ricoh Co. Ltd. (second from left) and Alan Fisher, owner of Kyojin Artistry Co. LLC (second from right) during a ceremony at the Conrad Tokyo on Nov.22. | COURTESY OF THE IRISH EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYDecember 3, 2018

December 3, 2018

Mohamed El Amine Bencherif, Algerian ambassador to Japan (second from left), and his wife, Amira (left), raise a toast with Kenji Yamada, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs (second from right), and Akira Urabe, president of the Japan-Algeria Association and former ambassador to Algeria (right), during a reception at the embassy to celebrate Algeria's 64th national day on Nov. 16. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 30, 2018

November 30, 2018

Steve Dewire, Grand Hyatt Tokyo's general manager (back row, center), joins Marie Seino, chief director of Re Kikou (back row, left), Harumi Torii, founder of Kids Earth Fund (back row, right) and 40 students from Tokyo International School at the hotel's Christmas ornament crafting workshop on Nov. 20. Grand Hyatt Tokyo's annual charity program supports people with disabilities as well as children affected by natural disasters in Tohoku, Kumamoto and Hokkaido. This year's theme is "Sparkle with Joy." | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 26, 2018

November 26, 2018

On Nov. 10, the Kawagoe Country Club hosted the Panama Maritime Golf Tournament to commemorate the 115th anniversary of Panama's national day and renew ties between Panama and Japanese shipping and business communities. Koichi Muto, president of the Japan Shipowners' Association (first from left), poses with Ritter Diaz, the Panamanian ambassador (third from left), Kiyoshi Kimura, president of Kiyomura and Sushizanmai (fourth from left), Seishiro Eto, president of the Panama-Japan Interparliamentary League (fifth from left), Takahiro Nakamae, director-general of the Latin-American and Caribbean divisions of Japan's Foreign Ministry (fourth from right) and other guests. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 19, 2018

November 19, 2018

From left: John Fritz, ambassador of Micronesia; Toshiko Abe, state minister for foreign affairs; Peter M. Christian, president of the Federated States of Micronesia; Lorin S. Robert, secretary of foreign affairs of the Federated States of Micronesia; Masanao Ozaki, governor of Kochi Prefecture; and congressional speaker Wesley W. Siminia celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Pacific island nation as well as its independence day at Hotel New Otani on Nov. 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 16, 2018

November 16, 2018

Takanori Nakamura (center) receives a plaque for his appointment as "Ambassador of the Best of Colombia" from Hiroshi Wago Rojas, executive director of ProColombia Japan (left), and Gabriel Duque, Colombian ambassador to Japan (right), during a ceremony at the ambassador's residence on Nov. 7. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 9, 2018

November 9, 2018

On Nov. 2, the Embassy of Honduras in Japan held an event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Mitch. During the ceremony, the embassy presented plaques and diplomas to organizations and individuals who generously and selflessly contributed their support during the emergency produced by the hurricane and its resulting aftermath. The organizations honored in the event included the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defense, Japan's Self-Defense Forces, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Japan Overseas Cooperative Association, the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia and members of the Sawai Koto Academy. Hondurian Ambassador Alejandro Palma Cerna (front row, fourth from right) and Masateru Ito, Japanese ambassador to Honduras during Hurricane Mitch (front row, fourth from left), pose with participants at JICA Global Plaza, Ichigaya. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 5, 2018

November 5, 2018

Hungarian Ambassador Norbert Palanovics (left) joins Seishiro Eto (right), chairman of the Japan-Hungary Parliamentary Friendship League, at a reception celebrating Hungary's national day in Tokyo on Oct. 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 29, 2018

October 29, 2018

Saulius Skvernelis (center), prime minister of Lithuania, joins Hirofumi Nakasone (left), chairman of the Japan-Lithuania Friendship Diet Member's League, and Gediminas Varvuolis (right), Lithuanian ambassador to Japan, during a reception to celebrate the centenary of the restoration of the State of Lithuania at Hotel Okura on Oct. 9. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 15, 2018

October 15, 2018

German Ambassador Hans Carl von Werthern (second from left) and his wife, Elizabeth (left), raise glasses for a toast with Foreign Minister Taro Kono (right), and his wife, Kaori (second from right), during a reception celebrating Germany's Unity Day at the von Werthern residence in Tokyo on Oct. 3. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 8, 2018

October 8, 2018

Macedonian Ambassador Andrijana Cvetkovikj (center) joins from left, Member of the House of Councilors Kimi Onoda; Masahiro Ishii; Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Manabu Horii; Member of the House of representative Yasuhide Nakayama; Shinako Tsuchiya; and Shunsuke Takei during a reception to celebrate of the Independence Day and 25 Years Diplomatic Relations between Macedonia and Japan at Hotel Okura on Sept. 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 28, 2018

September 28, 2018

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (second from left) welcomes Diane d'Arras (center), president of the International Water Association, and participants of the World Water Congress and Exhibition at Kiyosumi Garden on Sept.18. | HIROKO INOUE

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 24, 2018

September 24, 2018

Katsuya Suzuki (right), Aeroflot sales manager for Japan and Australia, presents Fish and Chips Eating Contest winner software engineer Nikolai Egorov with a round-trip airline ticket from Japan to London during The Great British Weekend Tokyo 2017-2020 at Roppongi Hills on Sept. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 17, 2018

September 17, 2018

Georgian sumo wrestler Tochinoshin (right) poses with Georgian Ambassador Levan Tsintsadze during a ceremony to celebrate Tochinoshin's advancement to the rank of ozeki at Tokyo Dome Hotel on Sept. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 16, 2018

August 16, 2018

Colombian Ambassador Gabriel Duque (fifth from right) poses for a photo with the Colombian salsa dance company Swing Latino at a salsa workshop that was held at the Star Rise Tower in Tokyo on July 31. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 10, 2018

August 10, 2018

Argentine Ambassador Alan Beraud (third from right) poses for a photo with Mitsunari Okamoto, parlimentary vice-minister for foreign affairs (fourth from right); Koya Nishikawa, a special adviser to the Cabinet (fifth from right); Hiromichi Matsushima, vice-minister for international affairs (sixth from right, second row); and Atsushi Nonaka, parlimentary vice-minister for agriculture, forestry and fisheries (sixth from right, back row), at a reception to celebrate the arrival of the country's first shipment of Argentinian beef at the embassy on Aug. 1. | COURTESY OF THE ARGENTINE EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYAugust 6, 2018

August 6, 2018

Koki Mitarai of Toin High School (Oita Prefecture) steals second against Seiryo High School (Ishikawa Prefecture) during the opening day of the 100th National High School Baseball Championship on Sunday at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. Seiryo won 9-4. | KYODO

TIMES GALLERYAugust 3, 2018

August 3, 2018

Brazilian Rudson Mateus Sarmento Teles (top), winner of the 94-kg adult black belt category, and Briton Arya Esfandmaz compete at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu Jitsu World Tour 2018 at Ota Gymnasium on July 29. The tournament consists of five major events held in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi, London and Moscow. The tour is organized by the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation and the UAE Embassy. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 30, 2018

July 30, 2018

French Ambassador Laurent Pic (center) poses for a photo with former Vice President of the Upper House Akiko Santo (left) and Foreign Minister Kono Taro during a reception to celebrate France's national day at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on July 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 27, 2018

July 27, 2018

Colombian Coffee icon "Juan Valdez'' poses for a photo with (from left) Colombian Ambassador Gabriel Duque, 2018 Miss International Queen of Coffee Japan Representaive Kanako Hirayama and Colombian Coffee Growers Federation Tokyo Director Santiago Pardo during an event to promote Colombian coffee at the embassy on July 11. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 23, 2018

July 23, 2018

Eighty-four-year-old Mori Tajima (front row center), winner of the 29th Itoen Oi Ocha New Haiku Contest and recipient of the Minister of Education Science and Technology Award, poses for a photo with 16-year-old Kazuki Horinouchi (back row, third from right), winner of the English haiku category in the same competition, and Itoen President Daisuke Honjo (front row left) during the award ceremony at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo on July 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 16, 2018

July 16, 2018

Philippines Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V (center) poses for a photo with (from left) Philippines Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III; former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda; Salvador C. Medialdea, executive secretary of the Philippines; and Nobuteru Ishihara, chairman of the Japan-Philippines Friendship League, during a reception to celebrate the 120th anniversary of independence of the Philippines at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on June 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 13, 2018

July 13, 2018

Rwandan Ambassador Venetia Sebudandi (fourth from left) poses for a photo with Hachimantai Mayor Masahiko Tamura (second from left); Manabu Horii (fourth from right), vice minister for foreign affairs; Manabu Sakai (third from right), state minister for international affairs and communications; Lower House lawmaker Emi Kaneko (second from right); Masahiko Tominaga (right), vice-minister for policy coordination at the Ministry of International Affairs and Communications; and members of the Japan-African Friendship Association during a reception to celebrate Rwanda's independence day at Hotel Le Port Kojimachi on July 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 2, 2018

July 2, 2018

British Ambassador Paul Madden poses for a photo with Seiko Noda, minister for internal affairs and communications, at an event to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the British Embassy Tokyo on June 14. | JUN TAKAGI

TIMES GALLERYJune 25, 2018

June 25, 2018

Panama Ambassador Ritter Diaz (fifth from the left) and his wife, Ayana Hatada (fourth from right), pose for a picture with Takahiro Nakamae (fourth from left), director of the Latin-American Division of the Foreign Ministry, at a reception to celebrate Panama Day at JICA Global Plaza in Tokyo on June 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 22, 2018

June 22, 2018

Estifanos Afeworki, dean of the African Diplomatic Corps (ADC) and Eritrea's ambassador, speaks on stage alongside (among others) Solomon Maina, chair of ADC's Tourism and Culture Committee and Kenya's ambassador (third from left), Foreign Minister Taro Kono (fifth from left) and Ahmed Araita Ali, vice dean of the ADC and Djibouti's ambassador (sixth from left), at the opening ceremony of Ima No Africa in Tokyo's Hibiya Park on June 16. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 18, 2018

June 18, 2018

Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (right) poses for a picture with Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship League, during a reception to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan at Meiji Kinenkan on June 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 15, 2018

June 15, 2018

Bulgarian Rose Cultural Association Chief Director Fumie Yamashita (left) poses for a picture with Bulgarian Ambassador Borislav Kostov (center) and his wife, Manya, at the Rose Day Charity Party at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on May 31. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 8, 2018

June 8, 2018

Georgian Ambassador Levan Tsintsadze (second from left) poses for a photo with (from left) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Toshihiro Aiki; Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi; and Japan-Georgia Friendship League Chairman Ichiro Aisawa during a reception to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Georgian republic. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 7, 2018

June 7, 2018

Azerbaijani Ambassador Gursel Ismayilzada (center) poses for a photo alongside Japan-Azerbaijan Friendship League Chairman Akira Amari (left) and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Iwao Horii during a reception to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Azerbaijan at the Okura Hotel Tokyo on May 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 4, 2018

June 4, 2018

Polish Ambassador Jacek Izydorczyk (center) poses with State Minister of Foreign Affairs Kazuyuki Nakane (left) and Chairman of the Japan-Poland Interparliamentary Group Hirofumi Nakasone during a toast to celebrate Poland's national constitution day at the Hotel New Otani, Tokyo on May 23. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 28, 2018

May 28, 2018

Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong (sixth from left) and former Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Iwao Matsuda (sixth from right) join Director General of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam Nguyen Trung Khanh (fifth from left), Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Mitsunari Okamoto (fourth from right) and other participants during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Vietnam Festival 2018 in Yoyogi Park on May 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 21, 2018

May 21, 2018

Princess Takamado (center) poses for a photo with (from left) Mari Sai of the Japan-Iraq Medical Network; Dr. Minoru Kamata; the Jordanian ambassador's wife and founder of the charity project Art for Peace, Shifa Haddad; Eriko Haikawa, Co-founder of the charity project Art for Peace; and Haddad's daughters, Mariam and Aya at the launch of the project and art fair at the Jordanian ambassador's residence in Tokyo on May 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 14, 2018

May 14, 2018

Above: Zhang Yidan of China receives the Foreign Minister's Prize from Foreign Director of Cultural Affairs and Overseas Public Relations Hiroyuki Yamaya at the 21st annual Japanese Speech Contest for Foreign Embassy Officials in Tokyo. Left and far left: Kuwait's Yousef Altarkit, winner of the Education Minister's Prize, and Kazakhstan's Aidos Darkenov, winner of the Cultural Affairs Agency Prize, deliver speeches at the competition. Below: Twenty participants from16 embassies and organizations pose for a photo after the competition at Tokyo's Akasaka Kumin Center on April 21. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 11, 2018

May 11, 2018

European ambassadors and diplomats join the Tokyo Rainbow Pride Parade in Shibuya, Harajuku, on May 6. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 4, 2018

May 4, 2018

Princess Takamado (center) poses with ambassadors and ambassador's wives from Italy, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Panama, Latvia, Germany, Mexico, Moldova, Australia and the United States in the final installment of the World Gardening Fair in Hotel Okura Tokyo on May 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 30, 2018

April 30, 2018

(From left) Takahiro Nakamae, director general of the Foreign Ministry's Latin-American and Caribbean; Jorge Barakat, Administrator of Panama Maritime Authority; the Rev. Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi, archbishop of Tokyo; and Panama Ambassador Ritter Diaz and his wife, Ayana, celebrate World Youth Day 2019 in Panama at the ambassador's residence on April 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 27, 2018

April 27, 2018

Princess Takamado (center) stands next to Thai Ambassador and Chairperson of Exective Committee of "Japan Through Diplomats' Eyes'' Bansarn Bunnag (left) and representatives from 77 countries during a luncheon to promote the annual photo exhibition at the Thai residence on April 19. This year's theme is "Meiji 150 years" | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 23, 2018

April 23, 2018

Singer Erika Colon (center) poses alongside Kaori Kono (eighth from left), wife of Foreign Minister Taro Kono; Society of Wives of Arab Ambassadors in Japan President Maali Siam (seventh from left); SWAAJ Vice President Jamila Al-Otaibi (sixth from left) and others at a SWAAJ charity concert 2018 titled "Hope for Children" at Tokyo Women's Plaza in Shibuya on April 9. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYApril 16, 2018

April 16, 2018

Namibian Ambassador Sophia-Namupa Nangombe (center) poses for a photograph with Masato Saito (left), Namibia's honorary consul, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahisa Sato during a reception to celebrate the country's national day at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on March 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 12, 2018

April 12, 2018

Angolan Ambassador Joao Miguel Vahekeni (second from left) and his wife, Marlise, pose for a photograph alongside San Marino Ambassador Manlio Cadelo (left) and Eritrean Ambassador Estifanos Afeworki Haile during a reception at the Angola Embassy on April 4 to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the country's Peace and National Reconciliation Day. Participants also bid farewell to Angola's diplomatic representative in Japan at the reception. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 7, 2018

April 7, 2018

Tunisia's Ambassador Kais Darragi (center), and his wife Wided (fourth from left) receive 200 sakura (Japanese cherry) trees from Keiko Sugiyama (fifth from left), Sakura Group International representative, and members of a Japan-Tunisia peace and friendship group during a presentation ceremony at the ambassador's residence on April 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 7, 2018

April 7, 2018

Tunisia's Ambassador Kais Darragi (center), and his wife Wided (fourth from left) receive 200 sakura (Japanese cherry) trees from Keiko Sugiyama (fifth from left), Sakura Group International representative, and members of a Japan-Tunisia peace and friendship group during a presentation ceremony at the ambassador's residence on April 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 2, 2018

April 2, 2018

Pakistan Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan (center) joins President of Japan-Pakistan Parliamentarians Friendship League, Seishiro Eto (left), and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Manabu Horii during a reception to celebrate the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at Hotel New Otani Tokyo on March 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 26, 2018

March 26, 2018

British Ambassador Paul Madden (center) visits Ota Kuritsu Omori Fourth Junior High School on March 13, where he observed an English lesson by Leaders of English Education Project (LEEP) teacher Etsuko Ehama (left). LEEP has been run by the British Council on behalf of the Japanese ministry of education since April 2014. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 19, 2018

March 19, 2018

Japanese and Tunisian artists pose for a photograph during the opening ceremony of an exhibition titled "Inspiring Tunisia" at Chiyoda Kumin Hall on March 12. Pictured (from left) are Tunisian Ambassador Kais Darragi; Foreign Minister Taro Kono's wife, Kaori; Kiyoshi Ejima, chairman of the Special Committee on Reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake and member of the Japan-Tunisia Parliamentary Committee; artist Hideyuki Ozawa; and Chiyoda Mayor Masami Ishikawa. The exhibition is on display through March 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 12, 2018

March 12, 2018

The opening ceremony of Foodex Japan 2018, an international food and drinks trade show, at Makuhari Messe, Chiba Prefecture, on March 6. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 5, 2018

March 5, 2018

Georgian sekiwake Tochinoshin (center) poses with Georgian Ambassador Levan Tsintsadze (left) and fellow wrestler Gagamaru (right) during a reception at Hotel Okura Tokyo on Feb. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 26, 2018

February 26, 2018

Thai soccer players in the J. League (from left) Jakkit Wachpirom (FC Tokyo), Chanathip Songkrasin (Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo ), Teerasil Dangda (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Theerathon Bunmathan (Vissel Kobe), Chaowat Veerachart (Cerezo Osaka) and Yumiko Kinoshita (second from left), director of the J. League's International Office, visit the Thai Embassy to present an autographed ball to Thai Ambasador Bansarn Bunnag at the Thai ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Feb. 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 19, 2018

February 19, 2018

Left: Nonprofit organization Ban Rom Sai Japan representative Miho Natori (third from left) poses for a photo with Thai Ambassador Bansarn Bunnag (center) and his wife, Yupadee (fourth from left), at a reception at Ginza Itoya on Feb. 3. Crouching at the front of the photo are shadow puppet artist Koheisai Kawamura (front left) and curator Takenori Miyamoto (front right). Above: Natori receives a donation on behalf of Ban Rom Sai, a safe haven for children infected with AIDs that was established in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 1999. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 13, 2018

February 13, 2018

Participants fling oranges at rival teams on Sunday during the Battle of the Oranges, a boisterous annual festival in the northern Italian town of Ivrea. | REUTERS

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 12, 2018

February 12, 2018

Japan first lady Akie Abe (front row, center), poses for a group photo with Maali Siam (front row, left), wife of the Palestinian ambassador, and Jamila Al-Gunaid (front row, right), wife of the Yemeni ambassador, at a luncheon at the Yemeni ambassador's residence on Jan. 30 hosted by The Society of Wives of Arab Ambassadors in Japan (SWAAJ). Other members include representatives from Tunisia, Algeria, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Sudan and Egypt. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 3, 2018

February 3, 2018

Angela Ayllon (left), charge d'affaires of Bolivia, poses for a photo next to a man dressed as El Ekeko, a god of luck and prosperity, during the opening ceremony of an exhibition being held at the Cervantes Institute to mark the nomination of the ritual journeys in La Paz during Alasita to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 29, 2018

January 29, 2018

Above left: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kazuyuki Nakane speaks during an event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Japan at the Spanish Embassy on Jan. 24. Above right: Spanish Ambassador Gonzalo de Benito (second from right) poses for a photo with (from left) Nobuteru Ishihara, a member of the Japan-Spain Parliamentary Friendship League; Shinichi Yokoyama, former chairman of the Board of Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. and domestic chairman of the Japan-Spain Symposium; and Mikio Sasaki, senior corporate adviser of Mitsubishi Corp. and chairman of the Japan-Spain Business Cooperation Committee. | YOSHIAKI MIURA, COURTESY OF THE SPANISH EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 22, 2018

January 22, 2018

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike joins (from left) Micronesia Ambassador John Fritz, Oman Ambassador Khalid Al-Muslahi, Benin Ambassador Adechoubou Makarimi, Azerbaijan Ambassador Gursel Ismayilzada and Jamaica Ambassador Clement Philip Ricardo Allicock in a sake barrel-breaking ceremony during Tokyo Ambassadors Night at Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo on Jan. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 15, 2018

January 15, 2018

French Ambassador Laurent Pic (third from left) cuts a galette des rois, a cake traditionally served on Jan. 6 to celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem before Jesus' birth, with (from left) Galette des Rois Club President Susumu Shimada; State Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Masaaki Taniai; 2018 Galette des Rois Ambassador Christophe Lemaire; Japan-France Parliamentary Friendship League Chairman Akiko Santo; and Baccarat Pacific President Yoshikazu Yann Gahier during an event to celebrate the new year and Epiphany at the ambassador's residence on Jan. 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 8, 2018

January 8, 2018

Argentinian Ambassador Alan Beraud (left) poses for a photo alongside Mitsunari Okamoto, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, during an event to celebrate the 120th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Argentina and Japan at the ambassador's official residence on Dec. 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 30, 2017

December 30, 2017

Kazakhstan Ambassador Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev (center) and his wife, Manshuk, welcome Manabu Horii, parliamentary vice-minister of foreign affairs, during a reception to celebrate of the 26th anniversary of the Republic of Kazakhstan's independence at Hotel Okura Tokyo on Dec. 19. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 22, 2017

December 22, 2017

Ryuichi Sakamoto (seated at the piano) attends a reception on Dec. 14 at the Canadian Embassy with (from left) Canadian Ambassador Ian Burney; Brian Levine, executive director of The Glenn Gould Foundation; and electronic musician Scott Morgan. Sakamoto curated "Glenn Gould Gathering," an event marking the 85th anniversary of Glould's birth. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 21, 2017

December 21, 2017

Qatar Ambassador Yousef Mohamed Bilal (right) welcomes Environment Minister Masaharu Nakagawa during a reception to celebrate the Qatar's national day at Imperial Hotel on Dec. 13. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 15, 2017

December 15, 2017

Thai Ambassador Bansarn Bunnag (right) and Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa celebrate Thailand's national day at the Imperial Hotel on Dec. 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 14, 2017

December 14, 2017

Laotian Ambassador Viroth Sundara (second from right) and his wife, Simuang, pose for a photo with Fumio Shimizu (left), deputy director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Itsuo Hashimoto, president of the Japan-Laos Association, at a celebration to mark Laos' national day at the Laotian Embassy on Dec. 3. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 9, 2017

December 9, 2017

The Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter held its annual charity bazaar at Royal Park Hotel on Dec. 4. Kicking off formalities with a tape-cutting ceremony are (from left) Ikebana International Fair Chairperson Rahel Zewdie Sleeuwagen, wife of the Belgian ambassador; Princess Takamado; and Misako Ishii, president of the Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 8, 2017

December 8, 2017

United Arab Emirates Ambassador Khaled Alameri (second from right) cuts a cake during a ceremony to celebrate the country's national day at Palace Hotel Tokyo on Nov. 27. Alameri is photographed with (from left) Manabu Horii, parliamentary vice-minister of foreign affairs, First Secretary Fatima Jumah Mohammed Aldhmani and Second Secretary Suood Ebrahim Leamash. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 7, 2017

December 7, 2017

Kyrgyz Ambassador Chingiz Aidarbekov (center) poses for a photograph with Manabu Horii (left), parliamentary vice-minister of foreign affairs, and Gen Nakatani (right), head of the Japan-Kyrgyz Parliamentary Friendship League, during a reception at Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on Nov. 20 to celebrate the country's independence day. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 30, 2017

November 30, 2017

Belgian Ambassador Gunther Sleeuwagen (second from right) and his wife, Rahel (right), pose for a photo with (from left) officer of the order of Leopold recipients Jiro Okuyama and Misuzu Iwami, who are both vice-grand master of ceremonies at the Imperial Household Agency, and commander of the order of Leopold II recipient Yuki Mayor Fumio Zemba during a reception to celebrate King's Day on Nov. 17. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 25, 2017

November 25, 2017

Children from Tokyo's Nishimachi International School on Nov. 14 open the Grand Hyatt Tokyo's "Colors of Hope'' charity program supporting children in the Tohoku region and Kumamoto prefecture with (back row, from left) Chief Director Re Kikou Marie Seino, Kids Earth Fund founder Harumi Torii and the hotel's general manager, Steve Dewire. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 18, 2017

November 18, 2017

Algerian Ambassador Mohamed El Amine Bencherif (center) leads a toast with (from left) Mitsunari Okamoto, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs; Sanae Yamaguchi; Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi; and the ambassador's wife, Amira, during a reception to celebrate the country's national day at the embassy in Tokyo on Nov. 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 11, 2017

November 11, 2017

Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui (third from left) poses with (from left) Manabu Horii, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs; State Minister Kazuyuki Nakane; Yasuhide Nakayama, director-general of the Japan-Tunisia Parliamentary Committee; Shinsuke Okuno, a member of the Japan-Tunisia Parliamentary Committee; and Tunisian Ambassador Karis Darrag during a reception at Hotel Okura Tokyo on Oct. 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 10, 2017

November 10, 2017

Paraguayan Ambassador Naoyuki Toyotoshi (sixth from left) poses with Latin American and Caribbean ambasadors during a farewell reception. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 4, 2017

November 4, 2017

Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Bulent Meric (center) and his wife, Kumiko, welcome Keitaro Ono, parliamentary vice-minister of defense, during a reception to celebrate Turkey's national day at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Oct. 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 28, 2017

October 28, 2017

Eduardo Frei, former president of Chile (third from right), poses for a photo with (from left) Alejandro Buvnic, director of ProChile; Naoyoshi Noguchi, executive vice president of JETRO; Gustavo Ayares, ambassador of Chile; Paulina Nazal, vice minister of commerce; and Kazuhiko Koshikawa, executive senior vice president of JICA, during a dinner to mark the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Chile at Hotel Conrad, Tokyo on Oct. 18. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 21, 2017

October 21, 2017

Spanish Ambasador Gonzalo de Benito (center) thanks guests in a toast with Iwao Horii (left), parliamentary vice-minister of the Foreign Ministry, and Carlos Ramos, director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Japan, during a reception to celebrate Spain's national day at the embassy on Oct. 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 14, 2017

October 14, 2017

Frank C.T. Hsieh (left), representative at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, and his wife, Fang-Chih Hsieh Yu (right), welcome Yoko Abe, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's mother, during a reception at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on Oct. 5. The event was held to mark the 106th anniversary of "Double Ten,'' when the Xinhai revolution in China that overthrew the Qing Dynasty began, on Oct. 10, 1911. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 7, 2017

October 7, 2017

Sake promotional group members raise a toast with masu-zake (sake served in traditional wooden boxes) at an event held at Meiji Kinenkan to advertise the "Let's kampai together with sake!'' campaign during "October 1st is Sake Day" celebrations. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 30, 2017

September 30, 2017

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

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 23, 2017

September 23, 2017

Nicaraguan Ambassador Saul Arana Castellon (left) leads a toast with Masahisa Sato, senior vice minister for foreign affairs, during a reception to celebrate Nicaragua's national day at Instituto Cervantes in Tokyo on Sept. 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 16, 2017

September 16, 2017

Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Bulent Meric (right) and his wife, Kumiko, pose for a photo with Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi during a farewell reception at the ambassador's residence on Sept. 8. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 9, 2017

September 9, 2017

From left: Michael Turner, cultural affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy; Kelly Otter, dean of Georgetown University's School of Continuing Studies; Masato Ohtaka, deputy assistant minister at the Foreign Ministry's Foreign Policy Bureau; Peter Strydom, president of Amway Japan; Takeharu Tsutsumi, president of The Japan Times; and Mark Davidson, director of government and external affairs at Amway Japan, attend a reception in Tokyo on Sept. 4 to launch the 2017 Georgetown University Leadership Program (GULP). | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 26, 2017

August 26, 2017

Forty participants from 24 countries pose for the closing ceremony of the 2017-18 Short-term Training Program for Foreign Teachers of Japanese Language organized by The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute in Urawa, Saitama Prefecture, on Aug. 18. | COURTESY OF THE JAPAN FOUNDATION JAPANESE-LANGUAGE INSTITUTE, URAWA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 12, 2017

August 12, 2017

Angela Ayllon, charge d'affaires of the Bolivian Embassy, greets Shunsuke Takei, vice minister of foreign affairs, during a reception to celebrate of the anniversary of Bolivia's independence at Tokyo Prince Hotel on Aug. 3. | COURTESY OF THE BOLIVIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYAugust 5, 2017

August 5, 2017

Peruvian Ambassador Harold Forsyth (third from right), Forsyth's wife, Maria Veronica Sommer De Forsyth, and his granddaughter, Maria Veronica Forsyth Kelez, raises a toast with (from left) Lower House lawmaker Kenya Akiba, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hirotaka Ishihara and Jun Matsumoto, minister of state for consumer affairs and food safety, during a reception to mark the anniversary of Peru's independence day at the Westin Hotel on July 28. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 29, 2017

July 29, 2017

Colombian dance group Agrupacion Shizuoka perform during celebrations marking the 207th anniversary of Independence Day at an event titled Fiesta de Colombia in Hibiya Park on July 16. | COURTESY OF THE COLOMBIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYJuly 22, 2017

July 22, 2017

French Ambassador Laurent Pic (center) makes a toast with Nobuteru Ishihara, minister of economic revitalization and chairman of the Japan-France Friendship Group (left), and Japan Foundation President Hiroyasu Ando during a reception at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo to celebrate Bastille Day on July 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 15, 2017

July 15, 2017

Thirteen-year-old Briton Gracie Starkey receives a framed copy of her winning poem in the English haiku category ("Freshly mown grass/ clinging to my shoes/ my muddled thoughts") from Itoen President Daisuke Honjo at the 28th Itoen Oi Ocha New Haiku Contest at Imperial Hotel Tokyo on July 6. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 8, 2017

July 8, 2017

Canadian Ambassador Ian Burney (center) poses with Nobuteru Ishihara (left), minister in charge of economic revitalization, and Kiyoshi Odawara, parliamentary vice-minister of foreign affairs, during a reception to mark Canada Day in Tokyo on June 30. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 1, 2017

July 1, 2017

Panama Ambassador Ritter Diaz (back row, second from right) poses with (clockwise from back row, far left) David De Leon, economic counselor at the Panama Embassy; Ayana Hatada, wife of the Panama ambassador; Estrella Teng, wife of the economic counselor; various children; Samuel Guevara, chief of Segumar Office in Tokyo; and Adriana Nunez, Guevara's wife, during an event celebrating Panama Day at JICA Global Plaza in Ichigaya, Shinjuku Ward, on June 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 24, 2017

June 24, 2017

A barrel of sake is broken by guests at Japanese Sake Fair 2017 at Ikebukuro Sunshine City on June 16. Participants are (from left) National Research Institute of Brewing President Nami Goto; Norio Yamana, deputy commissioner of the Commissioner's Secretariat at the National Tax Agency; Shigeyuki Shinohara, chairman of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association; Liberian Ambassador Youngor Sevelee Telewada; Marshall Islands Ambassador Tom Kijiner; and Yoshinori Ohsumi, honorary professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 17, 2017

June 17, 2017

Swedish Ambassador Magnus Robach (left) chats with EU Ambassador Viorel Isticioaia-Budura during a reception to celebrate Sweden's National Day at Robach's residence in Tokyo on June 6. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 13, 2017

June 13, 2017

From left: Japan Times Managing Editor Sayuri Daimon; Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki; Japan Times President Takeharu Tsutsumi; Japan Times Chairwoman Yukiko Ogasawara; and Japan Times columnist Yoichi Funabashi pose for a photo during a reception to celebrate the newspaper's 120th anniversary at the International House of Japan in Roppongi on June 9. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 9, 2017

June 9, 2017

Bulgarian Rose Cultural Association President Fumie Yamashita (left) greets Bulgarian Ambassador Borislav Kostov (center) and his wife, Manya (right), during the Third Rose Day Charity Party at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on June 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 8, 2017

June 8, 2017

Georgian Ambassador Levan Tsintsadze (second from left) and the Official Visi of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Japan Mikheil Janelidze raises a toast alongside Lower House members Akira Sato (left) and Motome Takizawa (right), parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, during a reception to celebrate Georgia's Independence Day and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Japan at Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on June 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 3, 2017

June 3, 2017

Azerbaijan Ambassador Gursel Ismayilzada (right) and his wife, Rana, welcome Japan-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship League Chairman Akira Amari during a reception at Hotel Okura Tokyo on May 25 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Azerbaijan. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 27, 2017

May 27, 2017

Ayman R. Al-Mufleh (center, fifth from right), secretary-general of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, stands next to his wife, Loubna Bedair, at the Jordanian ambassador's residence in Tokyo on May 21 to celebrate Jordan's Independence Day with Jordan Ambassador to Japan Demiye Haddad (right) and the ambassador's wife, Shifa (third from left), as well as Japanese members of nongovernment organizations who have been supporting refugees in Jordan. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 20, 2017

May 20, 2017

Princess Takamado (right), honorary president of the "Japan through Diplomats' Eyes" exhibition, shows one of her artworks to (from right) Luxembourg Ambassador and Executive Committee Chairman Beatrice Kirsch; Upper House member and head of the jury Hirofumi Nakasone; Venezuela Ambassador and Executive Committee member Seiko Ishikawa; and Canon Marketing Japan Inc. Chairman Haruo Murase at Canon Open Gallery in Tokyo on May 11. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 19, 2017

May 19, 2017

Thai actor James Jirayu (center), goodwill ambassador for the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Japan, poses alongside (from left) Thai Ambassador to Japan Bansarn Bunnag, Deputy Foreign Minister Kentaro Sonoura, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Tanasak Patimapragorn and Thai Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat at the 18th Thai Festival 2017 at Yoyogi Park, Shibuya Ward, on May 13. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 13, 2017

May 13, 2017

EU Ambassador Viorel Isticioaia-Budura (right) greets Nobuteru Ishihara, minister in charge of economic revitalization and chairman of the EU-Japan Parliamentary League of Friendship, during a reception to mark Europe Day in Tokyo on May 9. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 5, 2017

May 5, 2017

Toast masters: Royce Kuzwayo (center), charge d'affaires of the Republic of South Africa raises his glass with Shunsuke Takei (left), parliamentary vice-minister for Foreign Affairs, and Asahiko Mihara (right), acting chairperson of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship Association, during a reception celebrating South Africa's Freedom Day at Hotel Okura Tokyo on April 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 4, 2017

May 4, 2017

Ambassadors and ambassador's wives from Tonga, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, Romania, Lithania, Portugal, Croatia, South Africa, Thailand and Denmark participated in the 17th Annual World Gardening Fair in Hotel Okura Tokyo on May 2. Princess Takamado (center) poses with participants at the opening ceremony. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 29, 2017

April 29, 2017

Sixteen participants from 15 embassies and organizers pose for a photo after the contest at Tokyo's Akasaka Kumin Center on April 22 . | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 22, 2017

April 22, 2017

President of the Association of Wives of African Ambassadors in Japan (AWAAJ) Alice Parker-Allotey of Ghana speaks at the organization's sixth annual Charity Dinner Dance. The AWAAJ is a non-governmental, non-profit and non-religious organization that aims to showcase African cultural heritage to Japanese people and others residing in Japan, as well as raise funds for various charities. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 15, 2017

April 15, 2017

India's Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy shakes hands with Miss World Japan 2016 Priyanka Yoshikawa during a "Hanami Lunch on Chidorigafuchi" cherry-blossom viewing event near the Indian embassy in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on April 3. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 13, 2017

April 13, 2017

Colombian Ambassador Gabriel Duque (left) and Slovenian Ambassador Simona Leskovar speak on the International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, explaining the "Lend your leg" campaign that encourages people worldwide through the symbolic gesture of rolling up a pant leg or a sleeve to raise awareness of the damage land mines still cause, while showing solidarity with all survivors of land mines and other explosive remnants of war. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 12, 2017

April 12, 2017

Bangladesh's Ambassador Rabab Fatima (center), Secretary-General of Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentarians' League Ichiro Tsukada (left) and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuo Kishi cut a cake during a reception to celebrate the 46th anniversary of independence and the national day of the People's Republic of Bangladesh at the Hotel Okura, Tokyo, on March 28. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 6, 2017

April 6, 2017

Tunisia's Ambassador Kais Darragi (center) joins hands with Japan Tunisia Parliamentary Committee Secretary-General Yasuhide Yamanaka and Chairman of the committee and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuo Kishi at a reception to celebrate the country's 61st independence anniversary at the Hotel Okura, Tokyo, on March 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 4, 2017

April 4, 2017

Pakistan's Ambassador Farukh Amil (second from right) joins hands with (from left) House of Councillors member Antonio Inoki, Komeito President Natsuo Yamaguchi, Japan-Pakistan Parliamentarians' Friendship League President Seishiro Eto and Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Motome Takizawa during a reception to celebrate Pakistan national day and the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan at the Hotel Okura, Tokyo, on March 23. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 25, 2017

March 25, 2017

Diet members and several heads of mission of Latin American and Caribbean states, join hands during a friendly get-together at the Residence of Ambassadors in Nakameguro, Tokyo, on March 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 18, 2017

March 18, 2017

Attendees and exhibitors, including British Ambassador Paul Madden, CMG, and his wife Sarah, pose in front of the Britain and Northern Ireland booth at the Foodex Japan 2017 opening ceremony at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture on March 7. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 11, 2017

March 11, 2017

From left: President of Ikebana International Junko Katano; Tokyo Founding Chapter President Noriko Kira; Madagascar's Charge d' Affaires a.i. Rosette Rasoamanarivo; and Yuko Kishida, wife of Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, pose at the opening ceremony of an Ikebana Exhibition held by Tokyo Founding Chapter members at the Madagascar embassy in Tokyo on March 3. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 4, 2017

March 4, 2017

Princess Takamado (left) poses with her daughter Princess Ayako (right) and Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi at the Kakushokaku building in Yokohama's Sankeien Garden during an opening ceremony on Feb. 28 for "Gleam of Birds III," an exhibition that runs through March 6 featuring 54 bird photographs taken by Princess Takamado. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 25, 2017

February 25, 2017

Iran's Ambassador Reza Nazar Ahari (left) welcomes Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda during a reception celebrating the 38th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran at the embassy on Feb. 9. | EMBASSY OF IRAN

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 18, 2017

February 18, 2017

Cambodia's first J. League soccer player Chan Vathanaka (left) and Jun Koyama (right), president of Shizuoka Prefecture's Fujieda MYFC, pose during a visit with Cambodia's Ambassador Chea Kimtha at the embassy in Tokyo on Feb. 13. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 11, 2017

February 11, 2017

Gold Award-winner Xavier Dorison (France, front row, center) poses with (from front left) President of the Jury Machiko Satonaka; Silver Award winners Roberto Ricci and Laura Iorio (Italy); Silver Award-winner Han Zuzheng (China); Silver Award winner Can Tieu Hy (Vietnam); and the host, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyoshi Odawara, at the 10th Japan International Manga Award ceremony at Meiji University's Surugadai Campus on Feb. 6. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 4, 2017

February 4, 2017

Hungary's Ambassador Norbert Palanovics (left) prepares for a ceremonial sake barrel opening with (from left) All Japan Chefs Association President Toshi Utsunomiya; Suzuki Motor Corp. President and CEO Toshihiro Suzuki; Japan Hungary Friendship Association Chairman Shinichi Nabekura; and President of the Japanese Olympic Committee Tsunekazu Takeda during the ambassador's official welcome reception at the embassy in Tokyo on Jan. 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 28, 2017

January 28, 2017

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (center), Guatemala's Ambassador Angela Maria de Lourdes Chavez Bietti (left) and Tonga's Ambassador Tania Laumanulupe'o Talafolika Tupou (right) demonstrate furoshiki tsutsumi (Japanese cloth wrapping) during a "Tokyo Ambassadors Night" reception at the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo on Jan. 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 21, 2017

January 21, 2017

French Ambassador Thierry Dana (center) is joined by, from left, President of Club de la Galette des Rois Susumu Shimada; Mayor of Niigata Akira Shinoda; essayist Francoise Morechand; and Galette des Rois Ambassador and three-time Olympic gold-medal winner judoka Tadahiro Nomura in cutting a huge galette des rois (king cake) during an event to celebrate the new year and Epiphany at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Jan. 17. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 14, 2017

January 14, 2017

Panama's Ambassador Ritter Diaz (second from left) and his wife Ayana Hatada Diaz (right) share a toast with Father Arturo Martin (left) and the Director General of the Foreign Ministry's Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau Yasushi Takase during a reception to celebrate the relocation of the Embassy of the Republic of Panama to the Samon Building in Higashi-Azabu, Minato Ward in Tokyo on Jan. 10. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 31, 2016

December 31, 2016

From left, Nicararagua's Ambassador, Saul Arana Castellon; Cuba's Ambassador Carlos M. Pereira; Venezuela's Ambassador Seiko Ishikawa; Ecuador's Ambassador Leonardo Carrion; and Bolivia's Charge d'Affaires a.i. Angela Ayllon join hands during a reception to celebrate of the 12th anniversary of the foundation of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America at the Latin American Salon, in Tokyo's Minato Ward on Dec. 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 24, 2016

December 24, 2016

Kenya's Ambassador Solomon Karanja Maina (center) prepares for a toast with, from left, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General for African Affairs Department Norio Maruyama; Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda; Mizuho Bank Ltd. President and CEO Nobuhide Hayashi; and Chairman of the Japan-AU Parliamentary Friendship Association Ichiro Aisawa during a reception to celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Kenya's independence at the Tokyo Marriott Hotel on Dec. 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 17, 2016

December 17, 2016

From left: Director-General for Cultural Affairs Makita Shimokawa; wife of Peruvian ambassador and 2016 fair Chairperson Cristina Escala; and President of Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter Noriko Kira cut the ribbon to kick off the 2016 Ikebana International Fair The Ikebana International Tokyo Founding Chapter held its annual charity bazaar at the Royal Park Hotel on Dec. 5. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 10, 2016

December 10, 2016

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

TIMES GALLERYDecember 3, 2016

December 3, 2016

Kumiko Meric (second from right), the wife of Turkey's ambassador to Japan, and Japan-Turkish Womens Club members pose with people in traditional Turkish folk costumes at a celebration of Turkish culture, organized by the Japan-Turkish Womens Club, at Yunus Emre Institute in Tokyo on Nov. 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 26, 2016

November 26, 2016

Sixty children from Tokyo's Nishimachi International pose with Grand Hyatt Tokyo General Manager Steve Dewire (back row, fifth from left); Kids Earth Fund Founder Harumi Torii (back row, fourth from right); Marie Seino, chief director of the Re Kikou non-profit organization (back row, third from right); and hotel staff at the opening ceremony of the hotel's "Wish upon a Star" charity program, which supports children in the disaster-hit Tohoku region. The day included making Christmas ornaments and a flash mob dance performance at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo on Nov. 16. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 19, 2016

November 19, 2016

Angolan Ambassador Joao Miguel Vahekeni (center) prepares for a ceremonial cake cutting with Yumiko Akiyama (left), lead researcher of the Japan Institute of Community Social Work, and Manlio Cadelo, San Marino's ambassador and dean of the Diplomatic Corps, during a reception to celebrate of the 41st anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Angola at the Palace Hotel Tokyo on Nov. 11. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 12, 2016

November 12, 2016

Ambassador of The Federated States of Micronesia John Fritz (left) and his wife Momoe pose with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyoshi Odawara during a reception celebrating the 30th anniversary of Micronesia's Independence Day, the 28th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan and the 25th anniversary of U.N. membership at the Hotel New Otani on Nov. 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 5, 2016

November 5, 2016

Turkey's Ambassador Bulent Meric (left) and his wife Kumiko (right) pose with first lady Akie Abe during a reception to celebrate the 93rd Turkish National Day at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Oct. 28. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 29, 2016

October 29, 2016

From left, Fulbright Alumni Association of Japan President Chitoo Bunno poses with Vice Chief Director of the Totsuka Country Club and Prime Minister's cup winner Ko Matsumoto; Suwa Co. President and U.S. Ambassador's Plaque winner Yasuo Ishii; and U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Minister Counselor, Margot Carrington following the 40th Japan-U.S. Fulbright Charity Golf Tournament, at the Totsuka Country Club in Kanagawa Prefecture on Oct. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 22, 2016

October 22, 2016

Uganda's Ambassador Betty Grace Akech-Okullo (right) shares a toast with Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and House of Representatives member Shunsuke Takei at a reception to celebrate the country's 54th anniversary of independence at the Hotel Okura, Tokyo, on Oct. 9. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 15, 2016

October 15, 2016

Exhibition participants and organizers (front row, from left) Chairperson of the Executive Committee, Luxembourg's Ambassador Beatrice Kirsch; Macedonia's Ambassador Andrijana Cvetkovikj; Head of the Jury Hirofumi Nakasone; Honorary President Princess Takamado; Pierre Worlf, spouse of Guatemala's ambassador; Germany's Ambasador, and Ambassador's Prize winner, Hans Carl von Werthern; and Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kaoru Shimazaki are joined by jury special mention winners and committee members at Roppongi Hills on Oct. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 8, 2016

October 8, 2016

Bulgaria's Ambassador Georgi Vassilev (right) receives a sakura print from Toshimitsu Motegi, chairman of Japan-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship League and Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council, during a farewell reception for Vassilev at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Sept. 29. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 1, 2016

October 1, 2016

Tajikistan's Ambassador Hamrokhon Zarifi (second from left) welcomes, from left, Hitoshi Kikuchi, member of The House of Representatives and the Japan-Tajikistan Parliamentary Friendship League; Masahiro Imamura, reconstruction minister for disaster-hit regions; and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Motome Takisawa during a reception to celebrate the Republic of Tajikistan's 25th Anniversary of Independence at the Okura Hotel, Tokyo on Sept. 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 24, 2016

September 24, 2016

Nine Argentine designers pose with Argentina's Ambassador Alan Beraud (front row, fourth from right) and Second Secretary, Economic Commercial Affairs Department, Ivan da Ponte (left) at a cocktail party for the "Rooms" fashion and design trade show (Sept. 14-16) at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Sept. 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 17, 2016

September 17, 2016

New York cake designer and pastry chef Sylvia Weinstock (right) poses with Suzette Co. Ltd. President Goki Arita (center) and pastry chef Takahiro Komai at a press conference announcing the launch of a new brand, Henri & Sylvia, under Suzette's Henri Charpentier line, at Ginza Maison Henri Charpentier on Sept. 7. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 10, 2016

September 10, 2016

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Coung (center) and his wife Hoang Thi Minh Ha welcome Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party and Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship League Toshihiro Nikai during a reception celebrating the 71st Anniversary of Vietnam's National Day at the embassy in Tokyo on August 31. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 3, 2016

September 3, 2016

Indonesian Ambassador Yusron Ihza Mahendra (second from left) and his wife Lusiana (left) share a toast with Defense Minister Tomomi Inada (center), former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Japan-Indonesia Association Yasuo Fukuda (right) and his wife Kiyoko during a reception to celebrate the country's 71st Independence Day Anniversary at the New Otani Hotel, Tokyo on Aug. 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 20, 2016

August 20, 2016

Toki Shimizu (center), who has devoted her life to international exchanges through kimono, celebrated her 94th birthday with a diplomatic choir made up representatives of 14 overseas countries (Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Finland, Indonesia, Mexico, Micronesia, Morocco, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yemen) and other guests at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo on August 11. | HISASHI MIYAKAWA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 6, 2016

August 6, 2016

Peruvian Ambassador Elard Escala (second from right), and his wife, Cristina (center) welcome, from left, Hiroyuki Maekawa, president of the Japan-Peru Association; Keiichi Koshimizu, parliamentary vice minister of internal affairs and communications; and Toru Shiraishi, parliamentary vice minister of the environment and Cabinet office, during a reception celebrating the 195th anniversary of Peruvian Independence Day and the food festival "Pisco of Honor & Oishii Peru'' at the embassy in Tokyo on July 28. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 30, 2016

July 30, 2016

Simmons Co. President Masafumi Ito poses next to Simmons' new "Gran Pillow Top" from the "Beautyrest Luxe" series an event introducing Simmons' 2016-17 lineup at the Tokyo American Club on July 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 23, 2016

July 23, 2016

Argentine Ambassador Alan Beraud (second from left) and Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra (second from right) prepare for a toast with, from left, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoji Muto and Secretary-General of the Japan-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship League Yukari Sato during a reception celebrating the Bicentennial of Argentine Independence Day at the Hotel Okura, Tokyo on July 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 16, 2016

July 16, 2016

Counsellor and DCM of the Embassy of the Republic of Tunisia Mohamed Elloumi (second from left) and his wife Houda (second from right) are joined by Tunisian Ambassador Kais Darragi (right) and his wife Wided (left) during a farewell party for Elloumi at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on July 11. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 9, 2016

July 9, 2016

Rwandan Ambassador Venetia Sebudandi (second from right) prepares for a toast with, from left, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for foreign Affairs Masakazu Hamachi; Specialty Coffee Association of Japan President Shinji Sekine; and State Minister of Finance and Secretary-General of the Japan-Rwanda Parliamentary League of Friendship Manabu Sakai during a reception to celebrate the country's Liberation Day and Independence Day at the Toshi Center Hotel, in Tokyo on July 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 2, 2016

July 2, 2016

Madagascar Charge d' Affaires a.i. Rosette Rasoamanarivo (third from left) and her spouse Michael Rajoharimanana (fourth from left) are joined by, from left, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General for African Affairs and Ambassador Norio Maruyama; Djibouti Ambassador Ahmed Araita Ali; Ministry of Foreign Affairs TICAD Ambassador Junzo Fujita; General Delegate of the Government of Quebec to Tokyo Claire Deronzier; Japanese Ambassador to Madagascar Ichiro Ogasawara; and JICA Africa Department Director-General Hideo Eguchi, in a cake-cutting ceremony during a reception to celebrate the country's 56th Independence Day at the embassy on June 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 25, 2016

June 25, 2016

French Ambassador Thierry Dana (center), Reconstruction Minister, Minister in charge of Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima Tsuyoshi Takagi (left) and Fukushima Prefecture Gov. Masao Uchibori hold fresh produce from the prefecture at a press conference before the "DINER D'AMITIE FRANCE FUKUSHIMA" (France-Fukushima friendship dinner), which aims to revitalize the region. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 18, 2016

June 18, 2016

Front (from left): Senen M. Perlada, director of the export marketing bureau, Department of Trade & Industry, Philippines; Haruko Komura, president of The Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society; Maria Teresa Lopez, the ambassador's wife; Philippine Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez; Masataka Fujita, secretary-general of the ASEAN-Japan Centre; Shiro Aoki, executive director and COO of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion are joined by ten leading Philippine home and fashion designers at the opening ceremony of the "Philippine Design Exhibition: Exclusively by Hand" event, which runs through June 30, at GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi, on June 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 11, 2016

June 11, 2016

Imam and Director of the Tokyo Camii and Turkish Culture Center Muhammed Rasit Alas (left) and Junichi Watanabe (right), director general of the Tokyo office of the Kumamoto Prefectural Government, are joined by Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Bulent Meric as the center presents the prefecture with a \794,992 donation, raised from the proceeds of a Kumamoto earthquake reconstruction charity bazaar, at the Turkish Embassy in Tokyo on June 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 4, 2016

June 4, 2016

Georgian Ambassador Levan Tsintsadze (left) shares a drink with former Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (center) and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masakazu Hamachi during a reception to celebrate the country's Independence Day at the Hotel Okura Tokyo on May 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 30, 2016

May 30, 2016

Shen Ssu-tsun (third from right), representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, and his wife, Enid (second from right) welcome (from left), Secretary-General of the Democratic Party Yukio Edano; former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuo Kishi; Chairman of the Interchange Association, Japan Mitsuo Ohashi; and Ko So-min, member of Taiwan's Executive Yuan Overseas Community Affairs Council, during a reception to celebrate the assumption of office of the 14th President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen, and Vice President Chen Chien-jin at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Tokyo on May 20. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 21, 2016

May 21, 2016

Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai (sixth from left) and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiji Kihara shake hands during 17th Thai Festival opening ceremony at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo on May 14. Also present for the celebration of Thai food, drink, dance, music, culture and events were Thai Ambassador Bansarn Bunnag (fifth from left), Thai Minister of Industry Atchaka Sibunruang (fifth from right) and other supporters. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 14, 2016

May 14, 2016

Designer Anna Sui (center) poses with Hiroshi Ohnishi (left), president and CEO of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., and Masaaki Takano, Isetan Shinjuku managing executive officer and general manager, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the designer entering the Japan market during the opening ceremony of the "ANNA SUI PARTY," at the Isetan Shinjuku Main Store on May 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 7, 2016

May 7, 2016

Kyoto-based American artist Daniel Kelly (right) poses with Heinrich Grafe, general manager of Conrad Tokyo, at the opening April 27 of "Daniel Kelly's Golden Touch," an exhibition of prints and paintings being held at the hotel until May 8 with the help of The Tolman Collection art gallery. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 30, 2016

April 30, 2016

British Minister of State at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice (third from right) poses with suppliers representing, from left, Tiny Rebel beer; The British Bottle Company wine; Macallan whisky; Perry's cider; and Sipsmith & Fever-tree gin and tonic, at a "Food is GREAT," pop-up bar at the British embassy in Tokyo on April 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 23, 2016

April 23, 2016

(From left) Exhibitors from Kyoto, ceramist Masatake Fukumori and Murasakino Wakuden President Aya Kuwamura, share a toast with Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Store, Yoji Naka, at an opening ceremony for the "Wakuden, Work & Pleasure" exhibition, which runs until May 10, at Gallery Life Mining in the Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Store on April 13. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 16, 2016

April 16, 2016

French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault (center) is joined by, from left, French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan President Bernard Delmas; French Ambassador Thierry Dana; DS Ambassador Terry Ito; and Managing Executive Officer and Store Manager of the Isetan Shinjuku Main department store Masaaki Takano at the ribbon cutting for Mitsukoshi Isetan Holdings' "Bonjour France, French Week'' event at the Isetan Shinjuku Main store on April 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 9, 2016

April 9, 2016

Argentine Ambassador Raul Dejean (second from right) is flanked by his wife Teresa (right) and daughter Mariangeles (second from left) as he speaks at a farewell reception at the ambassador's residence on March 30. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 2, 2016

April 2, 2016

Pakistan Ambassador Farukh Amil (second from left) shakes hands with, from left, House of Councillors member Antonio Inoki; President of the Japan-Pakistan Parliamentarians' Friendship League Seishiro Eto; and judoka Shah Hussain, a Tsukuba University student and a member of the Pakistan National Judo Team, during a reception to celebrate the country's National Day at the New Otani Hotel in Tokyo on March 23. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 26, 2016

March 26, 2016

Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture Virginija Baltraitiene (center) poses with Vice Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Hiromichi Matsushima (right) and Lithuanian Ambassador Egidijus Meilunas at a presentation promoting Lithuanian agriculture and food products at the Lithuanian Embassy in Tokyo on March 8. | LITHUANIA EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYMarch 19, 2016

March 19, 2016

From left, Japan Tea Association Senior Managing Director Shinichi Inada; Sri Lanka Ambassador Dammika Ganganath Disanayake; Director (Promotion) of the Sri Lanka Tea Board Premala Srikantha; and freelance announcer Anton Wicky pose at a Sri Lanka-Japan tea trade dinner at Happo-en in Tokyo on March 11. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMarch 12, 2016

March 12, 2016

Reconstruction minister Tsuyoshi Takagi (third from left) shakes hands with the Speaker of the Lithuanian parliament Loreta Grauziniene at a reception in her honor at the Lithuanian Embassy on March 2. They were joined by (from left) Andrius Kubilius, former Lithuanian prime minister; Egidijus Meilunas, ambassador of Lithuania; Gediminas Kirkilas, former Lithuanian prime minister; Lithuanian parliament members Irena Siauliene and Dangute Mikutiene; and Minister of Energy Rokas Masiulis. | LITHUANIAN EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYMarch 5, 2016

March 5, 2016

Irish Ambassador Anne Barrington (back row, center) poses with Declan Somers (back, left), chairperson of the Irish Network Japan Tokyo; Yoshihiro Tsuchiya (back, right), vice president of the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce and chairperson of the I Love Ireland Festival 2016 Committee; members of the Irish music group O'Jizo; and hammered dulcimer player MiMi (front row, second from left), at a press conference announcing St. Patrick's Day events at the Japan National Press Club on Feb. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 27, 2016

February 27, 2016

Rudina Bukoshi, Kosovo embassy charge d'affaires a.i. (second from right) joins, from left, Ryu Shionoya, chairman of the Kosovo-Japan Friendship Parliamentary Association; Micky Haxhiislami, chairman of the Japan-Kosovo friendship Association; and Seishiro Eto, member of the Kosovo-Japan Friendship Parliamentary Association during a reception to celebrate the country's National Day at the Hotel Okura Tokyo on Feb. 17. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 20, 2016

February 20, 2016

The Society of Wives of Arab Ambassadors and Heads of Missions in Japan (SWAAJ) hosted a luncheon in honor of Akie Abe (center), Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife, at the Oman ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Feb. 9. Abe was joined by SWAAJ President, Jamila Al-Suwaidi (Qatar, fifth from left); Vice President Maali Siam (Palestine, fifth from right); and (from left) Maha Mohamed (Sudan); Utako Arrour (Morocco); Keiko Shimazaki, wife of the Foreign Ministry's Chief of Protocol; Abeer Aisha (Oman); Jamilah Al-Otaibi (Kuwait); Shifa Haddad (Jordan); Wided Darragi (Tunisia), and Jamila Al-Gunaid (Yemen). During the luncheon, Abe was treated to a fashion show, where models wore traditional clothing from the Arab world. | MIKI OSHITA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 13, 2016

February 13, 2016

Sri Lanka Ambassador Dammika Ganganath Disanayake lights a traditional oil lamp during an event celebrating the 68th anniversary of the independence of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, at Kotani Hall, Reiyukai in Tokyo on Feb. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYFebruary 6, 2016

February 6, 2016

Pakistan Ambassador Farukh Amil (fifth from right) welcomes Akie Abe (sixth from right), the wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as the chief guest to a "Peace and Interfaith" event, along with (from right) Buddhist Priest Yoshida Nikko, Catholic Priest Mukengeshayi Matata, Shinto Priest Haruki Shinya, Imam Muhammad Rasit Alas, Fushimi Hiroaki, Antonio Inoki, Makototo Oniki, members of the public and students from Aoyama Gakuin and the International School of the Sacred Heart. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 30, 2016

January 30, 2016

Myanmar Ambassador Thurain Thant Zin (center) is joined by, from left, Chairman of the Japan-Myanmar Parliamentary Friendship League Ichiro Aisawa; Foreign Minister of Myanmar Wunna Maung Lwin and his wife Lynn Lynn Tin; Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoji Muto; House of Representatives member Kozo Yamamoto; and the ambassador's wife, Khin Soe Naung, for a toast at a celebration for the 68th Anniversary of the Independence Day of Myanmar, as well as the opening of a new embassy building, at the embassy in Tokyo on Jan. 25. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 23, 2016

January 23, 2016

French Ambassador Thierry Dana (center) is joined by, from left, President of Club de la Galette des Rois Susumu Shimada; House of Representatives member Yuriko Koike; House of Councilors member Akiko Santo; TV presenter and author Eriko Kusuta; Japan National Rugby Team member and Galette des Rois Ambassador Hitoshi Ono; Philippe Bigot, Honorary member of Club de la Galette des Rois in cutting a huge galette des rois (king cake) during an event to celebrate the new year and Epiphany at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Jan. 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJanuary 16, 2016

January 16, 2016

Koichi Saura (right), president of Saura Co. and chairman of the sake sales promotion committee of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, along with representatives of the sake industry and committee members, share a toast to kick off an event featuring sake tasting, cooking and education for about 100 twenty-year-olds celebrating Coming-of-Age Day. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 26, 2015

December 26, 2015

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

TIMES GALLERYDecember 19, 2015

December 19, 2015

Kazakhstan Ambassador Akylbek Kamaldinov (second from right) and his wife, Olga (second from left) raise their glasses with Aiko Shimajiri, state minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs, minister in charge of science and technology, space policy and territorial issues (left) and Michihiko Ota, co-chairman of the Japan-Kazakhstan Economic Committee and vice chairman of Marubeni Corp., during a reception celebrating the country's Independence Day at the Hotel Okura Tokyo on Dec. 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 12, 2016

December 12, 2016

Romanian Ambassador Radu Serban (center) and his wife Maria share a toast with Honorary Consul of Romania in Shizuoka and former Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Hakuo Yanagisawa during a reception to celebrate the country's National Day at the Hotel Okura Tokyo on Dec. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYDecember 5, 2015

December 5, 2015

France-based paper installation artist Marianne Guely (second from left), who unites Japanese craft traditions in an original design with the Andaz Tokyo Christmas tree in the Andaz Salon, poses with, (from left), Takeshi Nishimura, Yuzen-engraving artisan, Shigeru Takeo, president of TAKEO Co. and Arnaud de Saint-Exupery, general manager of the Andaz Tokyo on Nov. 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 28, 2015

November 28, 2015

Forty children from Nishimachi International School in Tokyo take part in the opening ceremony of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo's "Gifts from Angels" charity program, which supports children in the disaster-hit Tohoku region, along with General Manager Steve Dewire (back row, second from right), Kids Earth Fund Founder Harumi Torii (back row, right), Marie Seino, chief director of Re Kikou (back row, third from right), and teachers from Nishimachi International School at the Hotel on Nov. 18. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 21, 2015

November 21, 2015

The Embassy of the Philippines held a launch party for the book "History and Heritage of The Kudan: The Official Residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Japan" on Nov. 10. Yoko Ono (center), who lived in the home as a child, accepts a copy of the book from Philippine Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez (left). | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 14, 2015

November 14, 2015

Algerian Ambassador Mohamed El Amine Bencherif (left) welcomes Yoshihiro Shigehisa, chairman emeritus of the JGC group, during a reception to celebrate the country's 61st National Day at the Residence of Algeria in Tokyo on Nov. 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYNovember 7, 2015

November 7, 2015

Terumi Fujisaki (second from right) won the Prime Minister's Cup, while Sari Ichise (second from left) was awarded the U.S. Ambassador's Plaque, at the 39th annual Japan-U.S. Fulbright Charity Golf Tournament at the Totsuka Country Club in Kanagawa Prefecture on Oct. 26. Also pictured are the U.S. Embassy's Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Margot Carrington (left) and Fulbright Alumni Association of Japan President Chitoo Bunno. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 31, 2015

October 31, 2015

Hungarian Ambassador Istvan Szerdahelyi (center) and his wife, Reiko, welcome Seishiro Eto, chairman of the Japan-Hungary Parliamentary Friendship League, during a reception celebrating the country's National Day at the embassy in Tokyo on Oct. 22. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 24, 2015

October 24, 2015

Vincents restaurant chef Martins Ritins (right) from Latvia joins Latvian Ambassador Normans Penke, at a press conference and tasting of Latvian traditional foods promoting his events in Japan next month at the embassy in Tokyo on Oct. 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 17, 2015

October 17, 2015

The "Hidden Japan 2015 ? through Diplomats' Eyes" photo exhibition award ceremony took place at Roppongi Hills in Tokyo on Oct. 8. Attila Erdos, minister counsellor from the Hungarian Embassy receives the Prince Takamado Memorial Prize from Princess Takamado. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 10, 2015

October 10, 2015

Sake promotion group members, including Representative and former Director-General of the National Museum of Ethnology, Naomichi Ishige (center), raise their masuzake (square, wooden sake cups) before toasting to celebrate Oct. 1 as "Sake Day'' at Meiji Kinenkan in Tokyo. Nearly 50,000 people from across Japan, Australia, India, Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam joined in via video conference. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYOctober 3, 2015

October 3, 2015

Cote d'Ivoire Ambassador Jerome Kloh Weya (third from left) is joined in a cake-cutting ceremony by (from left) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Parliamentary Secretary Hidemichi Sato; House of Representatives member Asahiko Mihara; Japan-AU Parliamentary Friendship Association Chairman Ichiro Aisawa; State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Daishiro Yamagiwa; and Former Japanese Ambassador to Cote d'lvoire and Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of Founding the Japan-Cote d'lvoire Friendship Association Yuji Kurokawa during a reception to celebrate the 55th Cote d'lvoire Independence Anniversary (Aug. 7) at the Palace Hotel Tokyo on Sept. 17. | NAOTO YAGI

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 26, 2015

September 26, 2015

From left, Nicaragua Ambassador Saul Arana; Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Honduras Calros Mendoza; Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives Shinako Tsuchiya; El Salvador Ambassador Martha Zelayandia; Costa Rica Ambassador Laura Esquivel; and Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Guatemala Cristobal Dubon prepare to toast during a reception celebrating of 194th Anniversary of the Independence of Central America at Happo-en in Tokyo on Sept. 15. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 19, 2015

September 19, 2015

Brazilian Ambassador Andre Aranha Correa do Lago (center) raises a glass with Secretary-General of the Japan-Brazil Parliamentary Friendship League Takeo Kawamura (left), and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Brazil in Japan Marcos Turini, during a reception to celebrate the country’s Independence Day and of 120 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Japan at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo on Sept. 7. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 12, 2015

September 12, 2015

Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong (third from left) prepares to toast with, from left, Chairman of the General Council of the LDP and the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Nikai Toshihiro, Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasuhide Nakayama during a reception to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Vietnam’s national day at the New Otani Hotel, Tokyo on Sept. 1. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYSeptember 5, 2015

September 5, 2015

Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida (right) presents a Foreign Minister’s Commendation to Tsukasa Umekita, president of the nonprofit Foreign Embassies Friendship Association (sponsor of the Japanese Speech Contest for foreign Embassy Officials in Tokyo). Commendations were awarded to 116 individuals and 39 groups for FY 2015 and the ceremony was followed by a reception at the Iikura Guesthouse in Tokyo on Aug. 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 29, 2015

August 29, 2015

Frederik Walther, executive chef at the British Embassy in Tokyo, created a five-course menu celebrating Scottish seafood at the ambassador’s residence on Aug. 18. Pairing high-quality Scottish produce with seasonal Japanese ingredients, Walther took some 60 guests on an extraordinary culinary journey, with dishes such as a smoked scallop and haddock appetizer and a sugared salmon and citrus sherbet dessert. | JUN TAKAGI

TIMES GALLERYAugust 22, 2015

August 22, 2015

Pakistan Ambassador Farukh Amil speaks at an Independence Day event at the embassy. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 15, 2015

August 15, 2015

Sponsored by Brideal, The Summer Magokoro Wedding took place in front of a Magokoro (goddess of sincerity) statue, which symbolizes the basic philosophy of Mitsukoshi. The couple chosen for the event, Kazuya Fukushima & Rie (Oka), were married in front of about 50 friends and relatives and about 450 members of the public at Mitsukoshi’s Nihombashi Flagship Store, on Aug. 8. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 8, 2015

August 8, 2015

From left, Pakistan Ambassador Farukh Amil, Chief Patron of the Calligraphic Society of Pakistan Humayun Khan Bangash and Princess Takamado pose at the Calligraphy Exhibition 2015 at the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo on Aug. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYAugust 1, 2015

August 1, 2015

Peruvian singer Fabiola de la Cuba (center) performs at ‘PERU FESTIVAL 2015 KYODAI,’ an event celebrating the 194th Anniversary of Peruvian Independence Day at Shin Kiba Studio Coast in Tokyo on July 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 25, 2015

July 25, 2015

The managing director of Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Takeshi Ashida (left), and Director of the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office of the Embassy of the United States, Rachel Nelson, pose at a preview of the movie ‘Chef.’ Along with the preview, a tasting of American gourmet food truck cuisine was held at Sony Pictures Entertainment’s offices in Toranomon Towers in Tokyo on July 16. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJuly 18, 2015

July 18, 2015

French Ambassador Thierry Dana (right) and his wife Florence Godfernaux (third from right) prepare for a toast with (from left) former Vice President of the House of Councilors Akiko Santo, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura, Vahid Halilhodzic, head coach of the Japanese national soccer team, and former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, during a reception celebrating the country’s National Day at the ambassador’s residence in Tokyo on July 14. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJul 10, 2015

July 11, 2015

El Salvador Ambassador Martha Lidia Zelayandia (third from left) poses with students during a lesson on traditional Salvadorian cuisine at Hattori Nutrition College on July 4. | MAKI YAMAMOTO-ARAKAWA

TIMES GALLERYJul 4, 2015

July 4, 2015

Ethiopian Ambassador Markos Tekle Rike (center) and his wife, Hiwot Tuffa Doycha (right) welcome Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kazuyuki Nakane during a reception to celebrate the country’s National Day at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo on June 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 27, 2015

June 27, 2015

Djibouti Ambassador Ahmed Araita Ali (center) poses with (from left) Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Takashi Uto; former Ambassador of Japan to Djibouti Atsushi Nishioka; Senior Vice-Minister of Defense Akira Sato; Chairman of the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority Aboubaker Omar Hadi; the former and the first Ambassador of Djibouti to Japan Rachad Farah; former Justice minister Midori Matsushima; and (back row) President and CEO of Memo’s Co. Domenico Cantatore during a reception to celebrate Djibouti Day and the 37th Anniversary of cooperation and Friendship between Japan and Djibouti at the ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo on June 8. | INTERMEDIA JAPAN

TIMES GALLERYJune 20, 2015

June 20, 2015

Slovenia Ambassador Helena Drnovsek Zorko (left) presents a certificate to Slovenian rakugo comic storyteller Katsura Sunshine naming him friendship ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia at LOUNGE by Francfranc in Tokyo on June 2. | SLOVENIA EMBASSY

TIMES GALLERYJune 13, 2015

June 13, 2015

Lithuania’s Minister of Economy Evaldas Gustas (center), Vice-Minister of Science and Education Svetlana Kauzoniene (left); Vice-Minister of Economy Rasa Noreikiene (right); and Lithuanian Ambassador Egidijus Meilunas (third from left) pose with Representatives of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; the Japan Bioindustry Association; the Japan Science and Technology Agency; and MEXT during a welcome reception at the Embassy in Tokyo on May 29. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYJune 6, 2015

June 6, 2015

Azerbaijan Ambassador Gursel Ismayilzada (left) welcomes, Akira Amari, chairman of the Japan-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship League, minister in charge of economic revitalization and state minister for economic and fiscal policy, during a reception to celebrate the country’s Republic Day at the Okura Hotel on May 27. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 30, 2015

May 30, 2015

Dean of the African Development Corporation and Eritrea Ambassador Estifanos Afeworki (front row, seventh from right); State Minister for Foreign Affairs Minoru Kiuchi (seventh from left); Secretary-General, Japan-African Union parliamentary Friendship League Asahiko Mihara (sixth from left); President of the National Assembly of Djibouti Mohamed Ali Houmed, (sixth from right); Director-General, Affrican Affairs Depaartment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Norio Maruyama, (fifth from right); and Lesotho Ambassador and Chair of the Africa Day Reception 2015 Richard Ramoeletsi (fourth from right) pose with other ambassadors, and Diet members during a reception to celebrate Africa Day at the Angolan Embassy in Tokyo on May 26. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 23, 2015

May 23, 2015

Ten Arab ambassadors and representatives, (Dean and Palestine Representative in Japan Waleed Siam, back row, fifth from right) and 11 Latin American and Caribbean Ambassadors (Dean and Honduras Ambassador Marlene Villela Talbott, front row, center) at a ‘Friendly Dinner of Partnership’ for strengthening relationships at the Oman Embassy in Tokyo on May 12. | ARAB COUNCIL

TIMES GALLERYMay 16, 2015

May 16, 2015

Ambassador of the European Union Viorel Isticioaia-Budura (left), shares a toast with Kenji Kosaka, chairman of Japan-EU Parliamentary League of Friendship, and member of the House of Councillors during a reception to celebrate ‘‘Europe Day’’ at the Delegation of the European Union Europa House in Tokyo on May 12. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 9, 2015

May 9, 2015

Contestants from 12 embassies took part in the 18th annual Japanese Speech Contest for Foreign Embassy Officials in Tokyo on April 25. Essam Bukhary (Saudi Arabia) receives the Foreign Minister’s Award from Mari Takada, director of cultural affairs and overseas public relations at the Foreign Ministry. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYMay 2, 2015

May 2, 2015

Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam (center) poses with Area Manager of Japan Mesay Shiferaw (left) and Ethiopian Tourism Organization CEO Solomon Tadesse during a press conference announcing direct flights between Narita and Addis Ababa at the Tokyo Marriott Hotel on April 23. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 18, 2015

April 18, 2015

The 17th Arab Charity bazaar, organized by the Society of Wives of Arab Ambassadors and Heads of Missions in Japan (SWAAJ), was held at the Izumi Garden Gallery in Tokyo on April 12. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife Akie (sixth from left), SWAAJ President Jamila Al-Suwaidi (sixth from right) of Qatar and Vice President Samira Ali Abdelaziz (fifth from left) of Sudan, and other SWAAJ members pose after the ribbon-cutting. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 11, 2015

April 11, 2015

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks while the representative of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine and dean of the Arab diplomatic corps, Waleed Siam, looks on during an Arab Week reception and in celebration of Arab-Japan friendship at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Tokyo on April 6. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

TIMES GALLERYApril 3, 2015

April 3, 2015

Spain’s Cultural Counsellor Santiago Herrero Amigo (right), presents the Spanish Ambassador’s Award, to Tomonori Namiki of the Nippon.com Foundation at Casa de Espana in Shiba on March 24 for his achievements on a Spanish language exam organized by the Sociedad Hispanica del Japon and sponsored by the ministry of education and science. | THE FOUNDATION JAPAN SPANISH SOCIETY