Japan to Open Embassy in Embattled Georgia as Planned

Tbilisi, Georgia, Sept. 8 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is
set to open an embassy in this Georgian capital on Jan. 1, 2009, as
scheduled despite the confusion stemming from Russia's recent invasion into Georgian territories, diplomatic sources have told Jiji Press.

Amid growing tensions between the United States and Russia over the
Georgia conflict, Tokyo will begin full-fledged diplomatic activities in the pro-U.S. nation that was once part of the former Soviet Union.

Currently, Japan covers issues related to Georgia through its
embassy in neighboring Azerbaijan. Among the Group of Eight major nations,
Japan and Canada are the only countries that do not have an embassy in
Georgia.
In 2006, then Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, now
secretary-general of the nation's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, stressed
the importance of launching more diplomatic establishments abroad in order
to strengthen Tokyo's diplomatic power.
The Japanese government decided to open an embassy in Tbilisi in
January 2009 under the state budget for the fiscal year through March 2009.
Concerns about the establishment of the embassy grew after the
Japanese Foreign Ministry advised Japanese nationals in Georgia to leave the
country and issued a travel warning in the wake of the Russian invasion last
month.
But the government is continuing preparations for the embassy
opening. Tokyo will set up an office in Tbilisi for the purpose by the end
of this month, with Mitsuhiro Kono, counselor at the embassy in Azerbaijan,
leading the task, according to the sources.
Georgia established its embassy in Tokyo in February 2007.
According to the sources, Japan has been asked to provide aid for
Georgia's reconstruction through such steps as removing land mines. The
Japanese aid may reach some one billion yen, the sources said.