On the occasion of celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Croatia and Japan and the 5th Anniversary of the Accession of Croatia to the European Union, Croatian Embassy in Tokyo hosted a concert of a capella group Klapa Kaleta and a reception at the Delegation of the European Union to Japan (“Europa House”) on 22 March 2018. Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado and Her Imperial Highness Princess Tsuguko of Takamado were among around 200 guests - representatives of political, business and cultural life of Japan as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Before the concert Yasuhide Nakayama, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Manabu Horii, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Viorel Isticioaia-Budura Ambassador of the European Union to Japan and Dražen Hrastic, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Japan addressed the audience.
In his speech Ambassador Hrastic stated that in this relatively short period of time, Croatia and Japan developed excellent relations and wide cooperation with ambition for further development in all areas of common interest. As still the newest member of the European Union, Croatia is determined to maintain close cooperation and partnership, not only with other member states but also with third countries that share common values with the EU.
Croatia and Japan established diplomatic relations on 5 March 1993, and in the same year Croatian Embassy in Tokyo was opened. Croatia became member of the European Union on 1 July 2013 and it expected that the EU and Japan will soon sign strategic and economic partnership agreements, which will upon their entry into force, raise the cooperation between world’s first and fourth largest economies to an even higher level.
A capella group Klapa Kaleta from Zadar was on tour around Japan with concerts in Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Saga, Tokamachi and Tokyo. Klapa concerts are accompanied by presentation of Croatian gastronomy with a renowned Croatian chef Hrvoje Zirojevic. The Japanese tour of klapa and chef Zirojevic was realized with financial and organizational support of Memolead Group, City of Tokamachi and Japan-Croatia Exchange Society from Osaka, founded and led by Jelena Yamasaki.
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