National Day Reception 2026 - Celebrating the 66th Birthday of His Majesty Emperor of Japan
2026/2/24
On February 12th, the Consular Office of Japan in Kota Kinabalu hosted a reception to celebrate the 66th Birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan at a hotel in Kota Kinabalu. Around 210 guests, including the Guest of Honour, The Honourable Datuk Haji Jamawi Bin Jaafar, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Sabah, attended the reception.
At the ceremony, The Honourable Datuk Haji Jamawi Bin Jaafar proposed a toast, extending congratulations on the Emperor’s Birthday and expressing his hope to further strengthen the Japan–Malaysia relations. At his remarks, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia SHIKATA Noriyuki paid tribute to Malaysia’s achievements as the ASEAN Chair in 2025 and reaffirmed the intention to further deepen bilateral cooperation following the Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae’s visit to Malaysia in October 2025. Ambassador Shikata also highlighted cooperation in the field of maritime security through OSA (Official Security Assistance), as well as broader collaboration in the areas of energy and economic security, including decarbonization cooperation under the Asia Zero Emission Community (such as CCS, ammonia-fired power generation, and civil nuclear energy), stable LNG supply, rare earths, and AI, reflecting on the long-standing economic relationship between Sabah and Japan. He also commended the long-standing people-to-people exchanges and educational cooperation between the two countries, expressing his expectation for further expanding exchanges that deepen mutual understanding among the younger generation in Japan and Malaysia including Sabah.
The ceremony also featured several performances; namely traditional dance in Sabah by the students of St. Marianne's Girls' hostel, to whom the Consular Office of Japan in Kota Kinabalu provided a new van to transport the students between the hostel and their schools through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP), piano duet by the teachers from Kinabalu Japanese School, and Soran Bushi dance by Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and volunteer students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
At the venue, Japanese companies, local municipalities, and educational institution set up booths to showcase their business and activities in Sabah, and sushi and sake (which is in the list of a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) were served. Also, on this occasion, the World Horticultural Exhibition YOKOHAMA 2027 (GREEN×EXPO 2027) was promoted. Guests deepened their understanding of the various activities by Japan in Sabah while experiencing the wide-ranging appeal of Japan such as Japanese food culture.
Speech by The Honourable Datuk Haji Jamawi Bin Jaafar, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Sabah
Speech by Ambassador Shikata
Commemorative group photo with the Guest of Honour
The Guest of Honour listening to explanation at Japanese company booth
Traditional dance in Sabah by the students of St. Marianne's Girls' hostel
Piano duet by the teachers of Kinabalu Japanese School
Soran Bushi dance by JOCV and volunteer students from UMS
At the ceremony, The Honourable Datuk Haji Jamawi Bin Jaafar proposed a toast, extending congratulations on the Emperor’s Birthday and expressing his hope to further strengthen the Japan–Malaysia relations. At his remarks, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia SHIKATA Noriyuki paid tribute to Malaysia’s achievements as the ASEAN Chair in 2025 and reaffirmed the intention to further deepen bilateral cooperation following the Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae’s visit to Malaysia in October 2025. Ambassador Shikata also highlighted cooperation in the field of maritime security through OSA (Official Security Assistance), as well as broader collaboration in the areas of energy and economic security, including decarbonization cooperation under the Asia Zero Emission Community (such as CCS, ammonia-fired power generation, and civil nuclear energy), stable LNG supply, rare earths, and AI, reflecting on the long-standing economic relationship between Sabah and Japan. He also commended the long-standing people-to-people exchanges and educational cooperation between the two countries, expressing his expectation for further expanding exchanges that deepen mutual understanding among the younger generation in Japan and Malaysia including Sabah.
The ceremony also featured several performances; namely traditional dance in Sabah by the students of St. Marianne's Girls' hostel, to whom the Consular Office of Japan in Kota Kinabalu provided a new van to transport the students between the hostel and their schools through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP), piano duet by the teachers from Kinabalu Japanese School, and Soran Bushi dance by Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and volunteer students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
At the venue, Japanese companies, local municipalities, and educational institution set up booths to showcase their business and activities in Sabah, and sushi and sake (which is in the list of a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) were served. Also, on this occasion, the World Horticultural Exhibition YOKOHAMA 2027 (GREEN×EXPO 2027) was promoted. Guests deepened their understanding of the various activities by Japan in Sabah while experiencing the wide-ranging appeal of Japan such as Japanese food culture.
Speech by The Honourable Datuk Haji Jamawi Bin Jaafar, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Sabah
Speech by Ambassador Shikata
Commemorative group photo with the Guest of Honour
The Guest of Honour listening to explanation at Japanese company booth
Traditional dance in Sabah by the students of St. Marianne's Girls' hostel
Piano duet by the teachers of Kinabalu Japanese School
Soran Bushi dance by JOCV and volunteer students from UMS