Greetings from the Secretary-General

greeting
I am Iwao Kitahara who is currently preparing to establish “Japan Timor-Leste Association”. I was in Timor-Leste with my wife from September 2008 for 3 years as an Ambassador of Japan.

Until today a lot of Japanese people, by engaging in the missions for NGO, United Nations (including PKO), JICA, ODA, religious organizations and Embassies have promoted communication with the people of Timor-Leste, and put their tireless efforts and contributed to Timor-Leste’s development. Through my day to day interactions with these Japanese people and the people of Timor-Leste who are earnestly dedicated to the nation-building of their country, I strongly felt that it is becoming increasingly important to deepen mutual understanding, further strengthening our friendship, and also promoting cultural exchange, trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. I wanted to contribute as much as I can in this context; thus, I have decided to establish “Japan Timor-Leste Association”, and now preparing for its official launching.

Timor-Leste and Japan are both “land of the rising sun”. Our association’s name in Tetum, which is one of Timor-Leste’s official languages, is “ASSOCIASAUN LOROSA’E-NIPPON” (“LORO” means sun and “SAE” means to rise).

With your cooperation, I would like to establish this association. I strongly wish that our association will mature with time, with full energy and joy. I would very much appreciate for your kind understanding and support.

12 November, 2011

“Japan Timor-Leste Association ASSOCIASAUN LOROSA’E-NIPPON” Iwao Kitahara Secretary-General for Preparatory Secretariat


Office

Name Japan Timor-Leste Association ASSOCIASAUN LOROSA’E-NIPPON
Address 〒5-22-34 Soshigaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-0072 JAPAN4
Phone・FAX 03-3789-8185
E-mail japan@lorosae.org