6 THE TIMES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2010 (3) Romanian president’s visit

Romanian president’s agenda seeks to expand ties with Japan

on first visit to Japan in five years Traian Basescu ------Romanian President Traian Basescu and his wife, During my visit in Tokyo, I Maria, will pay an official working visit to Japan shall have the privilege, for March 9-11 to further strengthen the friendly the second time, to be received relations between Japan and Romania, which by their Imperial Majesties dates back to 1902. the Emperor Akihito and the During their stay in Japan, the president and his Empress Michiko of Japan. wife will make a state call on the Emperor Akihito This is my second visit to your and Empress Michiko, who will host a court beautiful country since 2005, luncheon in honor of the Romanian president and when Romania participated at his wife on March 10. the Aichi World Expo. This President Basescu is also scheduled to hold a time I am accompanied by a meeting with Prime Minister on numerous delegation of high the same day. government officials, which The relations between Romania and Japan proves our major interest in have remained friendly over more than a century upgrading the strong partner- of exchanges. In 2004, various events were ship established with Japan in organized in both countries to mark the centennial 2002. of the commencement of bilateral ties, including Romania and Japan share the official visit to Japan by then Romanian fundamental values, such as President . democracy, rule of law, hu- President Basescu, who was re-elected to a man rights and basic free- second five-year term in December last year, doms, market economy prin- Imperial debut: Romanian President Traian Basescu and his wife, Maria, meet Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in Tokyo visited Japan in June 2005 to attend the ceremony ciples. They also enjoy a sound during their first visit to Japan in 2005. marking the Romanian National Day at the economic cooperation. country’s venue at EXPO 2005 Aichi. On that Traian Basescu Last year Romania and Ja- large scale projects such as occasion, he held a meeting with then Prime pan celebrated the 50th anni- the European Danube Region Minister Junichiro Koizumi. 1996-2000 term. Basescu served as transport versary of the resumption of Strategy. Born in November 1951 in Murfatlar, southeast minister in the country’s first reformed communist diplomatic relations, and I I take this opportunity to Romania, Basescu graduated from the Naval government between 1991 and 1992, and later had the pleasure to host the warmly invite Japanese com- Institute of Constanta in 1976 and became a held the same office in a centrist-liberal Cabinet visit of their Imperial High- panies to participate in these Merchant Marine Officer at Navrom, the from 1996 to 2000. nesses Prince and Princess projects. I would like to ac- Romanian state-owned shipping company. In 2000, Basescu was elected mayor of Akishino. knowledge the Japanese com- Between 1981 and 1987 he served as captain on . In 2004, he was elected for a second During my stay in Japan, I panies that have already in- Romanian commercial ships. term in office but resigned as mayor later that year shall have consultations with vested in Romania, including He entered politics after the 1989 after winning the presidency of Romania. While Prime Minister Yukio Hatoya- in green field projects like anticommunism as a serving as mayor, he was elected chairman of the ma and I shall meet the presi- JTEKT, Sumitomo Wiring, member of the large National Salvation Front Democratic Party in 2001. dents of the two Houses of the Makita, Yazaki, YKK, etc. (FSN) party. In April 1991, he became minister of During his first five-year tenure as president, Diet, Mr. Satsuki Eda and Mr. Romania is interested in transport. After the FSN split in two factions in Basescu helped Romania achieve its accession to Takahiro Yokomichi. I shall further developing the auto- 1992 — the Social Democratic Party of Romania the European Union on Jan. 1, 2007. He also also meet the leadership of motive industry in the use on a and the Democratic Party (PD) — he joined the focused on a strong strategic partnership with the Keidanren and I shall address larger scale of green sources PD faction. United States, as evidenced by his continued the bilateral Business Forum. of energy and in putting a In 1992, he was elected to the lower house of commitment to maintain Romanian troops in My visit will give us the oc- greater emphasis on green the Romanian Parliament, then re-elected for the Afghanistan and a smaller contingent in Iraq. casion to sign a new bilateral technologies, fields in which agreement for an important Japan has an impressive ex- infrastructure project in Ro- pertise. mania, with a significant eco- Romanian companies coop- Highlights in the life of Romania’s Traian Basescu logical component. erate very well with Japanese Golden year: Prince and Princess Akishino call on Romanian President Traian Basescu and I would like to stress that companies in third markets his wife, Maria, during their visit to Romania in May 2009 in celebration of the 50th anniversary Personal: Born Nov. 4, 1951, 1991-1992, Minister for Trans- du Vasile, Mugur Isarescu Romania’s EU membership and we would like this tradi- of the resumption of Romanian-Japanese relations. Basarabi Town, Constanta port in the and Cabinets offers a significant added val- tion to be continued. We would County; married to Maria Ba- Cabinets 1996, leaves Parliament; di- ue to the traditional compara- like to boost our trade rela- nese people to take greater ad- pan are encouraging. Roma- tion agreements between Ro- sescu; two daughters 1990-1991, Undersecretary of rector of the electoral cam- tive advantages of my coun- tions and to increase Roma- vantage of Romania’s ex- nia supports the negotiation manian and Japanese univer- Religion: Christian Orthodox State, Ministry of Transporta- paign of Petre Roman try. Romania is involved in a nia’s exports to the Japanese tremely diverse traditions and between the EU and Japan re- sities. There are Romanian Nationality: Romanian tion, Department of Maritime 1992-1996, Member of Parlia- very complex program of de- market. of our hospitality because, as garding an economic partner- students in Japan, as well as Citizenship: Romanian Transports ment from the Democratic veloping its infrastructure, in- Tourism is another field we an old Japanese saying goes, ship agreement. an increasing number of Japa- Foreign languages: English 1989-1990, General director, Party; Vice President of the cluding the pan-European would like to promote. Roma- ‘‘Seeing once is worth more Last but not least, I would nese students in Romania, Merchant Navy Department, Industry Committee, Cham- transport infrastructure. We nia benefits from a great natu- than hearing a hundred like to draw your attention to studying medicine, mathe- Education: Ministry of Transportation ber of Deputies actively support energy pro- ral diversity and numerous times.’’ the great cooperation poten- matics and music, to name 1995 — Advanced course of 1987-1989, Head officer of the 1991-1992, Minister for Trans- jects of European relevance, UNESCO World Heritage The prospects for strength- tial in such fields as education, just a few examples. In Roma- management in the field of NAVROM (the Romanian port in the Petre Roman and and most importantly the Na- sites. I would like Japanese ening the economic coopera- culture and science. We al- nia we also have an increasing maritime transport, Norway state-owned shipping compa- Theodor Stolojan governments bucco gas pipeline, as well as tourism companies and Japa- tion between Romania and Ja- ready have in place coopera- number of young people inter- 1976 — ‘‘Mircea cel Batran’’ ny) Agency in Anvers ested in the study of Japanese Naval Academy of Constanta, 1981-1987, Merchant Navy language and culture. They Faculty of Navigation, Mer- Captain will create the basis for a more chant Navy Section 1976-1981, Merchant Navy offi- profound awareness in both cer, NAVROM, Constanta our countries and will expand Professional Career: people to people exchanges. 2004-present, President of Ro- Political Career: Romanian culture is one of mania 2003-2004, Leader of the Jus- the most interesting and origi- 2000-2004, Mayor of Bucharest tice and Truth Alliance nal cultures in Europe. Many 1996-2000, Minister for Trans- 2001-2004, President of the of our recent films have port in the , Ra- Democratic Party gained an excellent reputation du Vasile and Mugur Isarescu 2000-2001, President of the in Europe and I trust that Cabinets Democratic Party branch in some were screened and en- 1992-1996, Member of the Par- Bucharest joyed in Japan. liament of Romania, Chamber 1996-2000, Minister for Trans- In 2017 Romania and Japan of Deputies port in the Victor Ciorbea, Ra- will celebrate a century of dip- lomatic relations. I sincerely hope that we will welcome that significant moment with new achievements. I know that there are many bilateral friendship associations, both in Japan and in Romania, working with enthusiasm with the aim of deepening the mu- tual understanding of our cul- tures, traditions and ways of life. I therefore invite you all Nature, history: UNESCO World Heritage sites in Romania include Biertan village in Transylvania, to start preparations for cele- with its fortified church built in the Middle Ages (above), and the Danube delta (left), the brating in 2017 the year of Ro- second-largest in Europe and one of the best-preserved, where some 300 species of birds live. manian-Japanese friendship!

The Japan Times PUBDATE: 3/10/20010 PAGE: 6 C M Y K OUTPUT TIME: 17:41:24

3/10/1910 / / PT SUP/PG 6/ED 1