Japan–Malta relations


Japan–Malta relations refers to bilateral foreign relations between Japan and Malta. Their diplomatic relations were established in 1965.
Neither country has a resident embassy in each other's territory; Malta has an honorary consulate in Tokyo. On the other hand, Japan's embassy in Rome, Italy, is accredited to Malta, while it is represented in Valletta by an honorary consulate.

History

During the last two years of World War I, Japan played an important role in securing the sea lanes. Fourteen destroyers on anti-submarine convoy escort duty and their flagship cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy made Malta their homeport. The destroyer was torpedoed by the Austrian submarine U-27 on June 11, 1917 killing 68 of her crew. They were buried in Kalkara Naval Cemetery in Malta.
On September 21, 1964, the State of Malta, whose successor state is the modern-day Republic of Malta, became independent from the United Kingdom. In the next year, 1965, Japan established formal diplomatic relations with Malta.
In the beginning of 1989, on the occasion of the death and funeral of Hirohito, the 124th Emperor of Japan who had ruled for over 60 years until he died on January 7, Maltese Foreign Minister Ċensu Tabone and Private Secretary Adrian Camilleri flew from Valletta to Tokyo and Maltese Ambassador Victor J. Gauci flew from Canberra to Tokyo, to attend the Rites of Imperial Funeral at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on February 24.
In July 2006, Japanese Ex-prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu paid a courtesy call on Maltese President Eddie Fenech Adami in Valletta.
On May 27, 2017, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, who came to the capital of Malta, and there held a joint press conference.