- Reset +

The President of the Republic and Evelin Ilves to depart for an official visit to Japan

04.03.2014

The President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and Evelin Ilves will today board a flight for a visit to Japan. Japan, a member of G7 and Estonia's close ally in Asia, is our important economic and business partner. The main goals of the long-planned visit of the Estonian Head of State include top-level discussions about security and economic policies, the promotion of information and communication technology as well as the cyber sphere and enhancing business contacts between the two countries.

President Ilves and Evelin Ilves will meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

The meeting between the Estonian Head of State and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, is expected to focus on security policy and regional relations in Asia and Europe; the activities of NB8, which is currently presided over by Estonia; cyber co-operation and economic relations between our countries and energy problems.

While in Japan, President Ilves will also meet with the Speaker of the House of Councillors of the Diet, Minister Ichita Yamamoto, who is responsible for information technology policies and the Chairman of the Foreign Trade Organisation, Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige.

President Ilves will give a speech at the reputable Waseda University, where he will speak about shared values and the interests of Estonia and Japan both in the sphere of IT and geopolitics. He will give a presentation at Japan National Press Club (JNPC), Tokyo; meet with innovative entrepreneurs in the economic association JANE, where he will relay the success story of Estonian digital society; and will pay a visit to the headquarters of Microsoft Japan, where an introductory meeting between Estonian and Japanese start-up companies will take place.

The delegation that accompanies the Estonian Head of state consists of Deputy Secretary General for Communication and State Information Systems of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, Taavi Kotka, together with three members of the Riigikogu: Chairman of the Estonian-Japanese parliamentary group, Imre Sooäär and Deputy Chairman of the same group, Sven Sester, and Vladimir Velman.

The business delegation includes Kristi Tiivas and Krista Mihkelsaar (EAS), Aleksander Reitsakas (Aktors OÜ), David O'Brock (Molycorp Silmet AS), Dan Bogdanov (Cybernetica AS), Indrek Kaing (Reklaamilahenduse OÜ), Tea Varrak and Innar Liiv (Tallinn University of Technology), Siim Kabrits (Berry Group OÜ), Sonny Aswani (Tolaram Group), Eva Maran (Pravi Investeeringud OÜ), Tõnu Hein (Rakvere Targa Maja Kompetentsikeskus), Priit Rohumaa (Viru Keemia Grupp AS), Martin Talvari (Startup Sauna), Reimo Hammerberg (Barto Tours OÜ), Raul Allikivi (Estasia OÜ), and the representative of Enterprise Estonia (EE) in Japan, Kosaku Yamaguchi.

The Head of State will return to Estonia on 8 March.

Office of the President
Public Relations Department
Phone +372 631 6229