The 50th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations Between Japan and Seychelles And Beyond
2026/2/23
The following message from Ambassador Sakuta was published in the "Seychelles Nation" and "Today" newspapers on 23th February 2026.
Today (February 23), Japan celebrates the 66th birthday of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito, who is the symbol of Japan and always wishes for the happiness of the Japanese people and world peace. The nation extends its heartfelt wishes to His Majesty and his family for their happiness, good health, and prosperity. On this auspicious occasion, I would like to reflect on the deepening relations between Japan and Seychelles and share our enthusiasm for further strengthening this relationship.
80 years ago, postwar Japan rebuilt itself after its land had become a burnt-out wasteland. Under the Peace Constitution, our country, with the vow never again to wage war, consistently upheld pacifism, and, while receiving support from many countries and the international community, the people united as one to pursue postwar reconstruction and became one of the world’s leading economic powers.
Seychelles has walked a path entirely different from Japan in terms of history and the formation of the state, but at the time of independence 50 years ago, was it not truly a start from scratch?
I believe that Seychelles, too, while obtaining cooperation from many countries and the international community, has built today’s Seychelles through the efforts of many pioneers and of all of you.
Japan’s diplomatic relations with Seychelles have grown steadily since 1976. Upon Seychelles’ independence on June 29 of that year, Japan simultaneously recognized Seychelles as a sovereign state and established diplomatic relations. Initially managed by the Embassy of Japan in Nairobi under its concurrent jurisdiction, our diplomatic presence advanced in January 2019 with the opening of the Embassy of Japan in Seychelles. In 2024, the mission was further upgraded with my appointment as Japan’s first resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Seychelles. This year marks the milestone of the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations.
Since Seychelles’ independence, the Government of Japan has provided various forms of assistance for Seychelles' development. In terms of visible items, the construction of a fishing port in the Providence district and the installation of ice-making facilities at the Bel Ombre fishing port, or the Study for Coastal Erosion and Flood Control Management are notable. Also, as grassroots support, there is the construction of an office and a seed storage facility for the Only Native Plants Nursery for the TRASS, Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles, and the donation of a fully equipped ambulance to the Red Cross Society of Seychelles, both on Praslin Island.
The total amount of assistance to date is, at present value, about SCR 800 million, but given the value at the time and the impact of the assistance, we believe it is worth many times more.
Furthermore, to date, more than 400 Seychellois have received diverse training in Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Through this training, we believe that Japanese technology and knowledge have contributed significantly to Seychelles' development.
We also expect those who have been trained in Japan to serve as bridges between Japan and Seychelles, and we would like to ask for their cooperation in developing bilateral relations in the future.
Seychelles, as a country, has an extremely small national territory and a small population and faces a harsh environment as an island nation which is surrounded by the sea and, like Japan, is not blessed with natural resources. Nevertheless, Seychelles has now become the country with the highest income in Africa only 50 years after independence. Furthermore, Seychelles is achieving remarkable development as a model for African countries in such areas as stable democratic politics, good public security, and the prevention of corruption. We express our utmost respect for this.
Our recent diplomatic activities demonstrate the rich cultural and people-to-people ties between our two countries at various levels. In May last year, in collaboration with the University of Seychelles, we held a symposium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of Mr. Samuel Shingow Ohashi, a Japanese photographer who left behind photo postcards capturing various landscapes of Seychelles, which are now regarded as important historical artifacts.
The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), held in Yokohama in August last year, provided a significant opportunity for diplomatic exchanges between Japan and Seychelles, including the foreign ministers meeting to bolster bilateral relations. The TICAD 9 also contributed to the success of the Japanese Film Festival held in Victoria this month by expanding its scale through the Japan Foundation’s Africa Tour of the Japanese Film Festival.
The Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan was a tremendous success, creating valuable opportunities for both Japan and Seychelles. The Seychelles Pavilion and the National Day ceremony, showcasing Seychelles’ arts, culture, and sustainable tourism, captivated large audiences. The event also fostered reciprocal educational visits by Japanese and Seychellois students, promoting cross-cultural exchange.
Japan’s scholarship programme, training programmes, and seminars, including those in education, private sector development, statistics, and international law, have contributed to capacity building and mutual understanding.
This year, the Japan’s largest travel agency resumed offering tours to Seychelles for high-end Japanese customers, a promising sign of growing people-to-people exchanges. This brings to mind that many Japanese people visited Seychelles on their honeymoons during the 1980s.
Seychelles is located in the Western Indian Ocean, a vital international shipping lane and global transport hub. Around 10% of the yellowfin and bigeye tuna imported into Japan comes from Seychelles. Contributing to maritime security in the region is therefore of critical importance.
In this regard, Japan has supported the field of maritime security not only for Seychelles but also for the Indian Ocean region through efforts such as the construction of the Marine Police Headquarters in Perseverance, the implementation of an Intelligence Analyst Training Course and the workshops for Women Maritime Law Enforcement Officers at the UNODC office. In recent years, our bilateral defense cooperation has been further strengthened through goodwill exercises during port calls by ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
In the area of marine conservation, Japan has also worked with the FAO to support an initiative focused on collecting discarded fishing nets and transforming them into new fishing nets using advanced technology.
In the bilateral relationship going forward, we intend to further invigorate people-to-people exchanges, deepen mutual understanding through cultural exchanges, and strive to build cooperative relations across various fields.
Furthermore, based on the partnership with African countries promoted by the Government of Japan, through the “co-creation of innovative solutions to challenges,” in order to confront together the world’s challenges in the fields of economy, society, peace and stability, it is essential to deepen the cooperative relationship between our two countries.
In October 2025, Seychelles held presidential and parliamentary elections. The elections were conducted in a peaceful and democratic manner, resulting in a smooth transition of power. As one of the observer countries, Japan pays its respect to this democratic process.
Finally, sharing fundamental values such as the rule of law and democracy, Seychelles will continue to be an important partner for Japan in promoting a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. The vision, which fosters regional and global peace and prosperity, has been advanced by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae, Japan’s first female prime minister.
I look forward to working closely with the people of Seychelles to explore new opportunities for exchange and to further deepen our bilateral relations.
23rd February 2026
SAKUTA, Makoto
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Seychelles
Japan-Seychelles Goodwill Exercise (March 2025)
Seychelles National Day celebration at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (September 7, 2025)
Joint mural artwork of friendship by Japanese and Anse Royale Secondary School students (January 2025)
Today (February 23), Japan celebrates the 66th birthday of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito, who is the symbol of Japan and always wishes for the happiness of the Japanese people and world peace. The nation extends its heartfelt wishes to His Majesty and his family for their happiness, good health, and prosperity. On this auspicious occasion, I would like to reflect on the deepening relations between Japan and Seychelles and share our enthusiasm for further strengthening this relationship.
80 years ago, postwar Japan rebuilt itself after its land had become a burnt-out wasteland. Under the Peace Constitution, our country, with the vow never again to wage war, consistently upheld pacifism, and, while receiving support from many countries and the international community, the people united as one to pursue postwar reconstruction and became one of the world’s leading economic powers.
Seychelles has walked a path entirely different from Japan in terms of history and the formation of the state, but at the time of independence 50 years ago, was it not truly a start from scratch?
I believe that Seychelles, too, while obtaining cooperation from many countries and the international community, has built today’s Seychelles through the efforts of many pioneers and of all of you.
Japan’s diplomatic relations with Seychelles have grown steadily since 1976. Upon Seychelles’ independence on June 29 of that year, Japan simultaneously recognized Seychelles as a sovereign state and established diplomatic relations. Initially managed by the Embassy of Japan in Nairobi under its concurrent jurisdiction, our diplomatic presence advanced in January 2019 with the opening of the Embassy of Japan in Seychelles. In 2024, the mission was further upgraded with my appointment as Japan’s first resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Seychelles. This year marks the milestone of the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations.
Since Seychelles’ independence, the Government of Japan has provided various forms of assistance for Seychelles' development. In terms of visible items, the construction of a fishing port in the Providence district and the installation of ice-making facilities at the Bel Ombre fishing port, or the Study for Coastal Erosion and Flood Control Management are notable. Also, as grassroots support, there is the construction of an office and a seed storage facility for the Only Native Plants Nursery for the TRASS, Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles, and the donation of a fully equipped ambulance to the Red Cross Society of Seychelles, both on Praslin Island.
The total amount of assistance to date is, at present value, about SCR 800 million, but given the value at the time and the impact of the assistance, we believe it is worth many times more.
Furthermore, to date, more than 400 Seychellois have received diverse training in Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Through this training, we believe that Japanese technology and knowledge have contributed significantly to Seychelles' development.
We also expect those who have been trained in Japan to serve as bridges between Japan and Seychelles, and we would like to ask for their cooperation in developing bilateral relations in the future.
Seychelles, as a country, has an extremely small national territory and a small population and faces a harsh environment as an island nation which is surrounded by the sea and, like Japan, is not blessed with natural resources. Nevertheless, Seychelles has now become the country with the highest income in Africa only 50 years after independence. Furthermore, Seychelles is achieving remarkable development as a model for African countries in such areas as stable democratic politics, good public security, and the prevention of corruption. We express our utmost respect for this.
Our recent diplomatic activities demonstrate the rich cultural and people-to-people ties between our two countries at various levels. In May last year, in collaboration with the University of Seychelles, we held a symposium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of Mr. Samuel Shingow Ohashi, a Japanese photographer who left behind photo postcards capturing various landscapes of Seychelles, which are now regarded as important historical artifacts.
The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), held in Yokohama in August last year, provided a significant opportunity for diplomatic exchanges between Japan and Seychelles, including the foreign ministers meeting to bolster bilateral relations. The TICAD 9 also contributed to the success of the Japanese Film Festival held in Victoria this month by expanding its scale through the Japan Foundation’s Africa Tour of the Japanese Film Festival.
The Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan was a tremendous success, creating valuable opportunities for both Japan and Seychelles. The Seychelles Pavilion and the National Day ceremony, showcasing Seychelles’ arts, culture, and sustainable tourism, captivated large audiences. The event also fostered reciprocal educational visits by Japanese and Seychellois students, promoting cross-cultural exchange.
Japan’s scholarship programme, training programmes, and seminars, including those in education, private sector development, statistics, and international law, have contributed to capacity building and mutual understanding.
This year, the Japan’s largest travel agency resumed offering tours to Seychelles for high-end Japanese customers, a promising sign of growing people-to-people exchanges. This brings to mind that many Japanese people visited Seychelles on their honeymoons during the 1980s.
Seychelles is located in the Western Indian Ocean, a vital international shipping lane and global transport hub. Around 10% of the yellowfin and bigeye tuna imported into Japan comes from Seychelles. Contributing to maritime security in the region is therefore of critical importance.
In this regard, Japan has supported the field of maritime security not only for Seychelles but also for the Indian Ocean region through efforts such as the construction of the Marine Police Headquarters in Perseverance, the implementation of an Intelligence Analyst Training Course and the workshops for Women Maritime Law Enforcement Officers at the UNODC office. In recent years, our bilateral defense cooperation has been further strengthened through goodwill exercises during port calls by ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
In the area of marine conservation, Japan has also worked with the FAO to support an initiative focused on collecting discarded fishing nets and transforming them into new fishing nets using advanced technology.
In the bilateral relationship going forward, we intend to further invigorate people-to-people exchanges, deepen mutual understanding through cultural exchanges, and strive to build cooperative relations across various fields.
Furthermore, based on the partnership with African countries promoted by the Government of Japan, through the “co-creation of innovative solutions to challenges,” in order to confront together the world’s challenges in the fields of economy, society, peace and stability, it is essential to deepen the cooperative relationship between our two countries.
In October 2025, Seychelles held presidential and parliamentary elections. The elections were conducted in a peaceful and democratic manner, resulting in a smooth transition of power. As one of the observer countries, Japan pays its respect to this democratic process.
Finally, sharing fundamental values such as the rule of law and democracy, Seychelles will continue to be an important partner for Japan in promoting a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. The vision, which fosters regional and global peace and prosperity, has been advanced by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae, Japan’s first female prime minister.
I look forward to working closely with the people of Seychelles to explore new opportunities for exchange and to further deepen our bilateral relations.
23rd February 2026
SAKUTA, Makoto
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Seychelles
Japan-Seychelles Goodwill Exercise (March 2025) Seychelles National Day celebration at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (September 7, 2025) Joint mural artwork of friendship by Japanese and Anse Royale Secondary School students (January 2025)