Consulate General of Japan in Milan

 

Interview to Deputy Consul General Mr. Makoto Tominaga

by Barbara Ganetti

 

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Your Excellency Consul General, how long have you been covering this diplomatic role in Italy?

First, I want to specify I am not the Consul General but the Deputy Consul General; I work at the Consulate General in Milan from March of last year.

Do you like our Country?

I lived in Rome about 18 half years, included the two missions of Embassy in Rome, and this is the third in Italy, so it is not for me to like it or not; I consider your Country like my second homeland.

Can you talk about the new business and cultural opportunities that ahead between the two Countries for 2016?

This year we celebrate our 150 anniversary of diplomatic relationship between our two Countries. In this contest, I hope the good relation between Italy and Japan reinforce in other fields.

Which strategies will you carry out as Japanese Consul General in Italy to promote your Country at cultural and touristic level?

Our aim is to make known my Country to Italians and to attract the most attention towards us. Therefore, I try to express myself in each occasion and the prelude to the anniversary of this year. On 11 February opens the Bit and on 14 the Micam/Mipel. Japan participates in both events.

 

Today Japan represents the third world power after USA and China, with positive economic growth trend and strengths and international cooperation in innovative sectors like renewable energies, Nano and biotechnologies, l’ICT (E-Health), architecture, robotics, home automation and chemical and pharmaceutical products, can you deep something about?

In this century, the number of my compatriots who received the Nobel Prize of Natural Science is second only at USA. This is the interest of the efforts of scientists and technicians Japanese in the lasts years. As concern the technical content, I am not qualified to answer about, because I am not expert in the matter.

Japan has friendly and cultural relations with Italy for 150 years, which confrontation and cooperation scenery suggest between the two Countries in this moment?

First, this year there are various initiatives to celebrate the anniversary. I refer not only at the fact that we have excellent bilateral relations but also that our two Countries are part of the G7; this year is our turn and the 2017 will be your turn to HOST the Summit. In this content, I am convinced we can continue to cooperate also in international context.

In conclusion, thanking you for your availability, I ask you what do you think about Italy, in this moment of economic European crisis?

Italy is the pioneer UE and it is trying to get out of this economic crisis thanks to the introduction of several reforms. I am sure that the Beautiful Country will succeed.