Naoyuki Toyotoshi

Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay

The Republic of Paraguay celebrates its Bicentennial Anniversary of Independence and National Day on May 14th and 15th 2011.

On this Independence Day, we gratefully recall Captain Pedro Juan Caballero and the many leaders of the liberation movement, who achieved independence without any bloodshed in 1811.

On this momentous Anniversary, we take this opportunity to offer our respectful and sincere best wishes of health and well being to Their Imperial Highnesses Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, and all the members of the Imperial family as well as convey our heartiest and warmest greetings to his Excellency Prime Minister Mr. Naoto Kan and to the members of the Japanese government and people.

We also take this opportunity to extend our deepest and sincere condolences to the victims and families in the recent Great Earthquake Disaster of Eastern Japan. The thoughts and prayers of all Paraguayan citizens remain with the survivors of this great tragedy and the Japanese people and join in the sincere hopes for a swift recovery from the devastation that ensued following the massive earthquake and tsunami. The President of the Republic of Paraguay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, President of the Congress, and the President of the Supreme Court of Justice have all expressed their deepest sympathies and support soon after the earthquake and the First Lady of the Republic Paraguay also conveyed these feelings as well to Her Imperial Highness Empress Michiko.

The Government of Paraguay offered the assistance of a special rescue team, which had worked in Haiti following the earthquake in 2010, but because of the particular conditions and needs in the devastated areas, this assistance did not come to fruition. On the other hand, other help poured in from the Paraguayan private sector. Of note is the donation of one million individually packed “tofus” (soybean curd) made from Paraguayan non-transgenic soybeans and distributed directly to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami; the production and distribution cost of which was jointly financed by the Paraguayan Government and some private organizations in Paraguay.

We are absolutely certain that the victims suffering from this great calamity will overcome the many difficulties and challenges by virtue of their wisdom and espirit de corps. The Japanese people have shown us their incredible moral virtues, resilience and stoicism and kept absolute calm during and after the massive earthquake with a complete absence of panic. As citizens rushed to purchase bottle water and supply thinned amid news of potential radioactivity from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, the price of bottled water remained stable in an incredible demonstration of societal civility and moral cohesion.

Paraguay’s strong relationship with Japan dates back to 1919, when the first Amity Treaty was signed between the two nations. In 1936, the first eighty-one Japanese immigrants landed in Paraguay and settled in La Colmena, 132 km southeast of Asunción the capital city of Paraguay. The advent of the Second World War interrupted the flow of immigration thereafter and resumed in 1954 a little while after the conclusion of the war in 1945. With the aid of the Paraguayan and Japanese government, the immigration continued and today over 7,000 Japanese and their immediate descendants now live in several parts of the country. Most Japanese immigrants engaged in agriculture and introduced tomatoes and many garden vegetables not commonly known or widely consumed before in Paraguay. In later years, many of the Japanese-Paraguayan farmers began growing soybeans, a staple from their native country. Soybean production is today the most important product produced and exported and Paraguay today is the fourth largest soybean exporter in the world.

The Japanese immigrants and their descendants’ arduous and intensive work and efforts to prepare the land for agriculture with little or no mechanized tools contributed greatly to the advancement of modern agriculture in the country and the overall development and growth of the Paraguayan economy. They have earned deep appreciation and respect from their Paraguayan counterparts as honest and hard working people.

On the other hand, the Japanese Government has greatly aided Paraguay’s socio economic development in the fields of infrastructure, health, and education in the form of special financial loans, free financial aids, technical training and assistance.

The Imperial Family has also greatly contributed to further enhance the excellent bilateral relations blessing the country with numerous visits. Their Imperial Highnesses and then Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko visited Paraguay for the first time in 1978. In 1986, Their Imperial Highnesses Prince Hitachi and Princess Hanako visited to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Japanese Immigration to Paraguay. In 1999, Their Imperial Highnesses Prince Takamado and Princess Hisako visited us for the South American Soccer Tournament. And in 2006, His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino visited Paraguay to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Japanese Immigration. The Imperial family members as well as many representatives of the Japanese government have always been warmly welcomed and appreciated by the citizens of Paraguay and share fond memories of their visits over the last thirty years.

Lastly, as Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay in Japan I would like to extend my gratitude to the Japanese government and people for their hospitality and support. I am very happy to be able to celebrate the Bicentennial Anniversary of our Independence Day together with my fellow Paraguayan citizens, who live in Japan, alongside our Japanese friends and share the joy and depth of our friendship and respect especially during these difficult times in our host nation.