Deputy Minister Kishi, who is the highest ranking Japanese government official to visit Kurdistan, met President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barazani, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, and the Governor of Erbil, Nawzad Hadi.
Mr Kishi's delegation brought with them tents and other equipment for the refugees in Kurdistan, in addition to the $280 million Japan has provided in assistance through the United Nations.
Mr Kishi told President Barzani that the purpose of his visit was twofold: to strengthen bilateral relations with Kurdistan and to provide humanitarian assistance to the refugees in Kurdistan as part of a larger Japanese government initiative to provide support to all the Syrian's who have fled their country because of the conflict there.
President Barzani thanked the Deputy Minister and the Japanese government and people for their decision to help the Syrian refugees sheltering in Kurdistan, and Mr Kishi commended the Kurdistan Regional Government for the steadfast assistance it has provided to the refugees and pledged to continue to provide aid for them.
Both sides also discussed ways in which to develop economic ties between Kurdistan and Japan with President Barzani expressing Kurdistan’s readiness to develop strong ties with the country.
The Japanese delegation also met Prime Minister Barzani where the Deputy Minister expressed his hopes of further strengthening relations with Kurdistan, and highlighted the efforts being undertaken by Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Kurdistan. He said that he hoped this relationship will increase economic cooperation and encourage Japanese companies to work and invest in Kurdistan.
Prime Minister Barzani briefed the delegation on relations between Baghdad and Erbil as well as the latest political developments in Iraq and the region as a whole, with emphasis on the cooperation taking place with Turkey in the energy sector. Prime Minister Barzani also expressed his hope that Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would also visit Kurdistan as part of a future visit to Iraq.
During their visit to Kurdistan the delegation also met Minister Falah Mustafa and the Governor of Erbil, Nawzad Hadi, to discuss areas of mutual concern. In response to the KRG’s call for international assistance for the refugees, the Japanese delegation had brought with them 800 large size tents along with 10,000 jerry cans for the refugees in Kurdistan. In addition Japan has provided $280 million in assistance through different UN agencies working locally.
Minister Mustafa thanked the delegation for their efforts and response. During the meeting, Governor Hadi also thanked the Japanese government for their assistance to the Kurdistan Region and briefed the delegation on the work that the governorate is undertaking to help the Syrian refugees.
The KRG welcomes institutional and diplomatic relations with Japan and has called for Japan to upgrade its diplomatic representation in the Kurdistan Region.