On 18 March, H.E. Dr. Makio Miyagawa held his first press briefing at his residence. While waiting to be instated as the new Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Ambassador Miyagawa was very pleased to meet with the local press as well as the Japanese press to share his views and visions in Malaysia.
The following is the abstract of the briefing.

I was here 20 years ago so I know the old Malaysia. It was a little sad that I cannot see reminiscent places and villages where I used to visit, but the growth and modernization is so amazing that I feel I should congratulate the Malaysian government and Malaysian people for such great achievement. I would certainly like to have a reunion with my old friends and also to see what has changed and what has not changed. The heart of Malaysia has not changed delightfully, the Malaysian people are still very hospitable, warm hearted and cherishing the tradition of the community and certainly honoring the union and solidarity of families. I think Malaysians and Japanese share the common values of community and life, I am very pleased to see the same and unchanged heart of Malaysia, “Truly Asia” you call.

His Majesty the Agong visited Japan a couple of years ago already. Prime Minister Abe visited Malaysia mid last year, and Prime Minister Najib visited Japan towards the end of last year to participate in the special summit to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the relations between Japan and ASEAN. Prime Minister Abe visiting Malaysia and Prime Minister Najib visiting Japan, those high level visits created good outcomes for the relations between Japan. The exchanges of visits concluded a number of new factors which are quite amazing, including offers from Prime Minister Najib to invite Japanese industries with advanced technology to join in infrastructure building in Malaysia, including high speed rail project, water sewage project, and a variety of advanced medical such as hospital projects, which are very forward looking. And the Japanese industry should be very pleased to join in such projects in Malaysia. Malaysia has advanced and made a good growth while Japan’s economy has been stagnating for 15 years, but I can rest assure that our economy has started to show some moderate growth to leave the recession.

As to the recent agonizing incident of the missing Malaysian Airlines aircraft, our government and people express sincere sympathy for the Government and people of Malaysia particularly those whose families were on board. This incident will certainly be one of the gravest memories for my tenure. As requested, our government decided to send search and rescue mission to Malaysia to join in the operations already going. In the earlier days they had engaged in search and rescue missions in the Gulf of Thailand and off Kota Kinabalu, and now due to the changes of circumstances, the aircraft from Ministry of Defense and Coast Guard have started to make a new mission to search the missing airplane in the southeast region of Indonesia. Our government is considering, judging from the new circumstances, how we should increase our assistance vis-à-vis this operation. Our heart is always with the Malaysian people. Whatever help you need, whenever, whatever assistance needed, our government and people would certainly be able to consider positively in offering such requested assistance. The incident seems very unique, never ever precedent in our modern life. Japan is convinced that regional and global cooperation and collaboration is extremely important for such operations. I dare not think it is time for us to blame each other, and we should cooperate each other.

The positive contacts between the people of Japan and Malaysia owes largely to the Look East Policy, which the former Malaysian Prime Minister advocated. Exchanges of students and people have been intensified for many years. It has already accumulated over 15,000 people staying in Japan from Malaysia, who are the basis of solid friendship between the two countries and people. I am pleased that according to the notes exchanged between our prime ministers the two countries have already started to consider the Second Wave for the Look East Policy, which might include a new formula to help Malaysia and help Malaysian people in invigorating science and technology development and variety of other technologies to be entertained by the Malaysian industry. The relations between the two countries have expanded not just in terms of political and economic but also cultural and people to people exchanges.

Our Government has already started to engage in the security relations between Japan and Malaysia, or more broadly, Japan and ASEAN, which might cover defense authorities’ collaborations and assistance vis-à-vis coast guard operations in Malaysia. It used to be somewhat difficult 20 years ago, but now very happily the two governments have already agreed to launch such collaborations between the two countries.

I am looking forward to having such briefings in the near future.