The Japan Times PUBDATE: 3/10/20010 PAGE: 6 C M Y K OUTPUT TIME: 17:41:24

3/10/1910 / / PT SUP/PG 6/ED 1

6 THE JAPAN TIMES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2010 (3)

Romanian president’s visit

Romania seeks to expand ties with JapanTraian BasescuPRESIDENT OF ROMANIA

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During my visit in Tokyo, Ishall have the privilege, forthe second time, to be receivedby their Imperial Majestiesthe Emperor Akihito and theEmpress Michiko of Japan.This is my second visit to yourbeautiful country since 2005,when Romania participated atthe Aichi World Expo. Thistime I am accompanied by anumerous delegation of highgovernment officials, whichproves our major interest inupgrading the strong partner-ship established with Japan in2002.

Romania and Japan sharefundamental values, such asdemocracy, rule of law, hu-man rights and basic free-doms, market economy prin-ciples. They also enjoy a soundeconomic cooperation.

Last year Romania and Ja-pan celebrated the 50th anni-versary of the resumption ofdiplomatic relations, and Ihad the pleasure to host thevisit of their Imperial High-nesses Prince and PrincessAkishino.

During my stay in Japan, Ishall have consultations withPrime Minister Yukio Hatoya-ma and I shall meet the presi-dents of the two Houses of theDiet, Mr. Satsuki Eda and Mr.Takahiro Yokomichi. I shallalso meet the leadership ofKeidanren and I shall addressthe bilateral Business Forum.

My visit will give us the oc-casion to sign a new bilateralagreement for an importantinfrastructure project in Ro-mania, with a significant eco-logical component.

I would like to stress thatRomania’s EU membershipoffers a significant added val-ue to the traditional compara-tive advantages of my coun-try. Romania is involved in avery complex program of de-veloping its infrastructure, in-cluding the pan-Europeantransport infrastructure. Weactively support energy pro-jects of European relevance,and most importantly the Na-bucco gas pipeline, as well as

large scale projects such asthe European Danube RegionStrategy.

I take this opportunity towarmly invite Japanese com-panies to participate in theseprojects. I would like to ac-knowledge the Japanese com-panies that have already in-vested in Romania, includingin green field projects likeJTEKT, Sumitomo Wiring,Makita, Yazaki, YKK, etc.

Romania is interested infurther developing the auto-motive industry in the use on alarger scale of green sourcesof energy and in putting agreater emphasis on greentechnologies, fields in whichJapan has an impressive ex-pertise.

Romanian companies coop-erate very well with Japanesecompanies in third marketsand we would like this tradi-tion to be continued. We wouldlike to boost our trade rela-tions and to increase Roma-nia’s exports to the Japanesemarket.

Tourism is another field wewould like to promote. Roma-nia benefits from a great natu-ral diversity and numerousUNESCO World Heritagesites. I would like Japanesetourism companies and Japa-

nese people to take greater ad-vantage of Romania’s ex-tremely diverse traditions andof our hospitality because, asan old Japanese saying goes,‘‘Seeing once is worth morethan hearing a hundredtimes.’’

The prospects for strength-ening the economic coopera-tion between Romania and Ja-

pan are encouraging. Roma-nia supports the negotiationbetween the EU and Japan re-garding an economic partner-ship agreement.

Last but not least, I wouldlike to draw your attention tothe great cooperation poten-tial in such fields as education,culture and science. We al-ready have in place coopera-

tion agreements between Ro-manian and Japanese univer-sities. There are Romanianstudents in Japan, as well asan increasing number of Japa-nese students in Romania,studying medicine, mathe-matics and music, to namejust a few examples. In Roma-nia we also have an increasingnumber of young people inter-ested in the study of Japaneselanguage and culture. Theywill create the basis for a moreprofound awareness in bothour countries and will expandpeople to people exchanges.

Romanian culture is one ofthe most interesting and origi-nal cultures in Europe. Manyof our recent films havegained an excellent reputationin Europe and I trust thatsome were screened and en-joyed in Japan.

In 2017 Romania and Japanwill celebrate a century of dip-lomatic relations. I sincerelyhope that we will welcome thatsignificant moment with newachievements. I know thatthere are many bilateralfriendship associations, bothin Japan and in Romania,working with enthusiasm withthe aim of deepening the mu-tual understanding of our cul-tures, traditions and ways oflife. I therefore invite you allto start preparations for cele-brating in 2017 the year of Ro-manian-Japanese friendship!

Highlights in the life of Romania’s Traian Basescu

Personal: Born Nov. 4, 1951,Basarabi Town, ConstantaCounty; married to Maria Ba-sescu; two daughtersReligion: Christian OrthodoxNationality: RomanianCitizenship: RomanianForeign languages: English

Education:1995 — Advanced course ofmanagement in the field ofmaritime transport, Norway1976 — ‘‘Mircea cel Batran’’Naval Academy of Constanta,Faculty of Navigation, Mer-chant Navy Section

Professional Career:2004-present, President of Ro-mania2000-2004, Mayor of Bucharest1996-2000, Minister for Trans-port in the Victor Ciorbea, Ra-du Vasile and Mugur IsarescuCabinets1992-1996, Member of the Par-liament of Romania, Chamberof Deputies

1991-1992, Minister for Trans-port in the Petre Roman andTheodor Stolojan Cabinets1990-1991, Undersecretary ofState, Ministry of Transporta-tion, Department of MaritimeTransports1989-1990, General director,Merchant Navy Department,Ministry of Transportation1987-1989, Head officer of theNAVROM (the Romanianstate-owned shipping compa-ny) Agency in Anvers1981-1987, Merchant NavyCaptain1976-1981, Merchant Navy offi-cer, NAVROM, Constanta

Political Career:2003-2004, Leader of the Jus-tice and Truth Alliance2001-2004, President of theDemocratic Party2000-2001, President of theDemocratic Party branch inBucharest1996-2000, Minister for Trans-port in the Victor Ciorbea, Ra-

du Vasile, Mugur IsarescuCabinets1996, leaves Parliament; di-rector of the electoral cam-paign of Petre Roman1992-1996, Member of Parlia-ment from the DemocraticParty; Vice President of theIndustry Committee, Cham-ber of Deputies1991-1992, Minister for Trans-port in the Petre Roman andTheodor Stolojan governments

Romanian president’s agendaon first visit to Japan in five yearsRomanian President Traian Basescu and his wife,Maria, will pay an official working visit to JapanMarch 9-11 to further strengthen the friendlyrelations between Japan and Romania, whichdates back to 1902.

During their stay in Japan, the president and hiswife will make a state call on the Emperor Akihitoand Empress Michiko, who will host a courtluncheon in honor of the Romanian president andhis wife on March 10.

President Basescu is also scheduled to hold ameeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama onthe same day.

The relations between Romania and Japanhave remained friendly over more than a centuryof exchanges. In 2004, various events wereorganized in both countries to mark the centennialof the commencement of bilateral ties, includingthe official visit to Japan by then RomanianPresident Ion Iliescu.

President Basescu, who was re-elected to asecond five-year term in December last year,visited Japan in June 2005 to attend the ceremonymarking the Romanian National Day at thecountry’s venue at EXPO 2005 Aichi. On thatoccasion, he held a meeting with then PrimeMinister Junichiro Koizumi.

Born in November 1951 in Murfatlar, southeastRomania, Basescu graduated from the NavalInstitute of Constanta in 1976 and became aMerchant Marine Officer at Navrom, theRomanian state-owned shipping company.Between 1981 and 1987 he served as captain onRomanian commercial ships.

He entered politics after the 1989anticommunism Romanian Revolution as amember of the large National Salvation Front(FSN) party. In April 1991, he became minister oftransport. After the FSN split in two factions in1992 — the Social Democratic Party of Romaniaand the Democratic Party (PD) — he joined thePD faction.

In 1992, he was elected to the lower house ofthe Romanian Parliament, then re-elected for the

1996-2000 term. Basescu served as transportminister in the country’s first reformed communistgovernment between 1991 and 1992, and laterheld the same office in a centrist-liberal Cabinetfrom 1996 to 2000.

In 2000, Basescu was elected mayor ofBucharest. In 2004, he was elected for a secondterm in office but resigned as mayor later that yearafter winning the presidency of Romania. Whileserving as mayor, he was elected chairman of theDemocratic Party in 2001.

During his first five-year tenure as president,Basescu helped Romania achieve its accession tothe European Union on Jan. 1, 2007. He alsofocused on a strong strategic partnership with theUnited States, as evidenced by his continuedcommitment to maintain Romanian troops inAfghanistan and a smaller contingent in Iraq.

Golden year: Prince and Princess Akishino call on Romanian President Traian Basescu andhis wife, Maria, during their visit to Romania in May 2009 in celebration of the 50th anniversaryof the resumption of Romanian-Japanese relations.

Imperial debut: Romanian President Traian Basescu and his wife, Maria, meet Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in Tokyoduring their first visit to Japan in 2005.

Nature, history: UNESCO World Heritage sites in Romania include Biertan village in Transylvania,with its fortified church built in the Middle Ages (above), and the Danube delta (left), thesecond-largest in Europe and one of the best-preserved, where some 300 species of birds live.

Traian Basescu