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
Charge d’Affaires of the United Arab Emirates Mutaz Al Faheem (left) welcomes Keiichiro Okabe, president of the UAE-Japan Society, during a reception celebrating the 44th Anniversary of the country’s National Day at the Palace Hotel Tokyo on Dec. 2. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Lao People’s Democratic Republic Ambassador Khenthong Nuanthasing (second from right) shares a toast with (from left) State Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiji Kihara; Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives Shinako Tsuchiya; and Chairman of the Japan-Laos Parliamentary Friendship League Takeo Kawamura during a reception to celebrate the country’s 40th Anniversary of the National Day, at the Hotel New Otani Tokyo on Dec. 3. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Thailand Ambassador Sihasak Phuangketkeow (center) and his wife Varaporn (second from left) raise their glasses with (from left) President of The Japan Thailand Association and Chairman of the Japan-Thailand Business Forum Teisuke Kitayama; Health, Labor and Welfare Minister and Chairman of the Japan-Thailand Parliamentary Friendship League Yasuhide Shiozaki; and National Public Safety Commission Chairman, Minister on Administrative Reform and Minister in Charge of Disaster Management Taro Kono during a reception celebrating the country’s National Day and the 88th birthday of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej at The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on Dec. 4. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
The 24th Kishiko International Music Concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea, featuring Korean, Chinese and Japanese traditional instruments, was held at the Japan-China Friendship Center in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, on Nov. 29. Back row, from left: Korean musicians Lee Chang-seop and Bark San-young, Chinese musicians Wang Ming and Wang Jing, French emcee Annie Ragot and Kishiko Kawaguchi, head of the Worldject International Music NPO; Front row, Japanese musicians from the Sukeroku Daiko Group | WORLDJECT INTERNATIONAL MUSIC NPO
