Ercilia Chiaradia says she could talk forever about Argentina. The wife of the Argentine ambassador to Japan comes from Buenos Aires, capital city that opens out upon one of the largest ports in the world. City born and bred, Ercilia has a wide background in Argentina, the wedge-shaped country that occupies most of the southern part of the South American continent. She knows and loves the dramatic scenery of the Andes mountains, high valleys, plateaus and extensive grass plains that support cattle, sheep and agriculture.
"Argentina is exactly on the other side of the globe from Japan, but we want these two countries to feel close together," she said. "We would love to have more Japanese visitors. Argentina can make them feel at home."
It happens that Ercilia's family has only a short history of its own in Argentina. "Both my parents were from Spain," she said. "They met in Argentina, where they found many opportunities. They had a beautiful life there."