Today, H.E. Ambassador Nakajo Kazuya officially assumed his duties as Japan’s Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda after presenting his Letters of Credence to President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village in Kigali.
The ceremony marked the formal commencement of Ambassador Nakajo’s diplomatic mission in Rwanda and underscored Japan’s continued commitment to strengthening its long-standing partnership with the country. Japan remains one of Rwanda’s key and trusted partners in driving economic growth and social transformation, with cooperation spanning sectors such as infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, technology, and human capital development.
Upon presenting his credentials, the Ambassador conveyed greetings from the Government and people of Japan and reaffirmed Tokyo’s resolve to further deepen cooperation with Rwanda across areas of mutual interest, in line with Rwanda’s development priorities and Vision 2050.
Ambassador Nakajo highlighted the strong and growing relationship between Japan and Rwanda, built on decades of friendship, development cooperation, and shared values, including peace, stability, and sustainable development. He emphasized Japan’s continued support for Rwanda’s socio-economic transformation and innovation agenda, noting that the partnership has delivered tangible results and continues to evolve to address emerging regional and global challenges.
President Kagame welcomed the new envoy and expressed appreciation for Japan’s sustained support and its important role in Rwanda’s development journey. The Head of State reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, technology, infrastructure, health, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
The presentation of Letters of Credence comes at a time when Rwanda and Japan are seeking to deepen collaboration within the framework of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) and other multilateral platforms, with a focus on inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainable development.
Ambassador Nakajo’s tenure is expected to build on the solid foundation laid by his predecessors, with a renewed focus on advancing diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations between the two countries. His appointment signals Japan’s continued engagement in Rwanda’s transformation agenda and its broader partnership with Africa, reaffirming the two nations’ shared commitment to sustainable development and leaving no one behind.
