President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has extended greetings on the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Maldives and Japan.

The president sent his greetings to the Emperor of Japan, H.M. Naruhito, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida on the occasion on Monday.

President Solih told H.M. Naruhito that over the course of the past decades, Japan has proven to be one of the most “steadfast” and “reliable” development partners to the Maldives.

The president added that the immense contribution of the Japanese government, to the social and economic progress of the Maldives has brought significant transformation to the upgrade of the Maldivian workforce, as well as the health, wellbeing and empowerment of communities nationwide.

President Solih went on to convey the continued commitment of the Maldivian government, to further strengthen the ties between the two countries.

In a separate message to the Prime Minister of Japan, President Solih highlighted that the ties between both countries have thrived over the decades due to the shared commitment to democracy, peace, and human rights, as well as ensuring that the benefits of development are felt by the whole society.

The president went on to state that the high-level bilateral cooperation between the Maldives and Japan is supported by people-to-people contact.

President Solih concluded his message by assuring that the Maldivian government remains keen to continue working with the Japanese government to explore other mutually beneficial areas of cooperation.