Professor Shiratori was appointed to be
Honorary Consul-General of Malta

Professor Rei Shiratori was appointed by HE Professor Guido de Marco, President of the Republic of Malta, to be Honorary Consul-General of Malta with jurisdiction over Japan.
   The address of Honorary Consulate-General of Malta in Tokyo is:
      Honorary Consulate-General of Malta
      c/o Institute for Political Studies in Japan (IPSJ)
      1-16-16-207, Ohara, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-0041
      Phone: (03) 3460-2392   Fax: (03) 3465-4942

HE President Guido de Marco and Professor Shiratori

Reception to celebrate appointment
was held on March 12, 2004

Reception was held in the evening on March 12, 2004, in National Press-club Building to celebrate the appointment of Professor Rei Shiratori to be Honorary Consul-General of Malta.
   More than 250 guests attended the reception. These guests included Hon Toshiki KAIFU (Former Prime Minister and Member of House of Representatives), Hon Tsutomu HATA (Former Prime Minister and Member of House of Representatives), Mr. Kunio ANZAI (Chairman, Tokyo Gas Co.), Mr. Yuzaburo MOGI (President, Kikkoman Corporation) and Mr. Yoichi ERIKAWA (Former President, KOEI Co. Ltd.).

　

Former Prime Minister KAIFU talked about his visit of Sheffield

Reception was opened by the congratulatory speech by Hon Toshiki KAIFU, former Prime Minister. He recalled his visiting with Professor Shiratori to Yorkshire Dale in 1980 when Professor Shiratori organized a symposium on "Japan in the 1980s" in the University of Sheffield. Hon Tsutomu HATA, another former Prime Minister, talked about his association with Mrs. Shiratori in his college days, and mentioned his long association with Professor Shiratori as political leader over 30 years.

Another former Prime Minister HATA made 'Congratulation'

Mr. MOGI, President of Kikkoman Corporation, touched upon the breakfast discussion meetings of Institute for Political Studies in Japan (IPSJ), and his memory of lecturing in Essex Symposium when Professor Shiratori was in the University of Essex.
   Mr. ERIKAWA, owner of KOEI entertainment software company, mentioned Professor Shiratori's contribution as President of Japan Association of Simulation & Gaming (JASAG).
   These congratulatory speeches were all warm-hearted and expressed various aspects of Professor Shiratori's activities.

Mr. MOGI of Kikkoman (left) and Mr. ERIKAWA of KOEI (right)

250 guests attended reception

Students of Cheer-leading Club "Fine" of Tokai University where Professor Shiratori teaches made performance in the Reception.
   Although Maltese wine was not served, 'sashimi' of Maltese tuna was served in the Reception.

Performance by Cheer-leading Club "Fine" of Tokai Univ

   Mr. Edward SAMMUT (Former Principal Information Officer at The Office of the Prime Minister of Malta) visited Japan to attend the Reception and read Message from HE Professor Guido de Marco, President of Malta, and Message from Hon Joe Borg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta.　

Mr. Edward SAMMUT read Message from President of Malta

Mrs. Kazuko SUGIMOTO, Member of Board of Japan-Malta Friendship Association, gave flower bouquet to Professor Shiratori.
   Professor Shiratori addressed 'Words of Gratitude' in the end of Reception. He mentioned in the 'Words' that this reception was held not to celebrate his appointment but to let Japanese public know the existence and value of "the Republic of Malta which is small in size but great in its way of life".
   It was a nice reception.

Mrs. Kazuko SUGIMOTO of Japan-Malta Friendship Association
　

Words of Gratitude

My thoughts at 66 years old
and an answer to the question - why Malta?



Rei Shiratori
(Speech at the end of Reception)

Thank you very much for attending this reception to celebrate my appointment as Honorary Consul General to the Republic of Malta. I really am very grateful to all of you for coming today.
   I have come here today not to just simply celebrate my appointment, but to offer my thanks to all of you who have been so kind, thoughtful and supportive to me and I must also admit, as Consul General, I am really looking forward to introducing one island nation, Malta, to the people of another, my own island home of Japan.
   Although the Republic of Malta is only a small country with a population of 400,000, she has always been aware of the importance of being a member of the international community and actively striving to contribute to the stability and peace of the global community and the establishment of a better future for humankind.
   Today I have received a message from H.E. Professor Guido de Marco, President of the Republic of Malta, the first message ever sent to a gathering of this kind and in addition many of you have given me warm words of encouragement. I was also greatly cheered by the energetic and very lively performance of the cheerleading club members of Tokai University. I can honestly say that today has been a very happy occasion for me.
   Six years ago, at the celebration of my 60th birthday, I looked back over the preceding years and gave the following short resume of my life.

“When I reflect on the 60 years of my life, I am keenly aware of how fortunate I have been to have experienced so much kindness, from so many people. For the first 20 years, I was brought up freely and with a minimum of restraints in the simple, warm and caring atmosphere of our family home. My father passed away when I was twenty, but for the next 10 years with the help of friends and colleagues I was able to establish myself as a political scientist and had the wonderful opportunity to study at the University of Oxford.
   In my 30s, I joined Dokkyo University founded by Dr. Teiyu Amano and as a professor, I was caught up in and fascinated by the world of research, education and political commentary. I believe the establishment of the Institute of Political Studies in Japan, when I was 37, is one of the consequences of the political commentary of that time.
   In my 40s, Japan had become an economic power and was increasingly active in the global community. At the same time I found myself also devoting more time to international activities. I spent time at the University of Sheffield in England as a visiting professor and at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. as a fellow. I held professorships both at the University of Essex in Britain and at Dokkyo University in Japan. I had become more aware of the international contribution it was possible for a political scientist to make.
   When I was 49, I moved to Tokai University and in my 50s I made efforts to expand my international interests from Western Europe and the United States to Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
   Now I have turned 60, I am once more seriously thinking about what I should do in the future. I have not formed a clear answer yet, but I would be very grateful if I could stand on the side of the weak and socially disadvantaged in the global community and spend my remaining years being of use to society.”

   Now today I am over 65 and although I have little awareness of having become old, the desire to spend my remaining years being of service to society has only grown stronger. As I mentioned, in my youth I was able to study in England with the help of a British Government scholarship and I am happy to say I was able to return the favor with seven years teaching at the University of Essex and the founding of a professorship for studies of Japan at the University of Essex, established with a very generous donation of 400 million yen from the Sanwa Bank. At present, along with other colleagues who were also fortunate in receiving scholarships from the British Government, we have established a scholarship system for studying in the United Kingdom and this year we sent 10 researchers.
   My debt to the global community is immense, having been offered many opportunities to further my knowledge and experience as a political scientist, among them the opportunity to serve as a member of the International Advisory Council of the IFES (International Foundation for Election Systems) in Washington, D.C., the largest democratization assistance institution in the world. As a part of my work of assisting countries in their democratization processes I have been involved in elections in Nepal, Indonesia, Bosnia and Kosovo. I was also able to contribute to the development of social sciences in Romania after democratization in 1989.
   I very much hope that in spite of my age and shortcomings I can continue making a contribution to the future of society and humankind.
   Finally in answer to the question why Malta? Malta has more than its vibrant cultural heritage and comfortable Mediterranean climate. Maltese people have shown great bravery and courage in building civilization of mankind in the past. They also show a sincere desire to make a contribution to the global community in the present. In essence the Maltese people have a lively spirit and way of life of which I find myself in great sympathy.
   Once again, I would like to thank you all for coming today and ask you all to please continue to guide and help me to develop warm relations between Japan and Malta.

Snapshots in the Reception

　

Professor Tamio KAWAKAMI and Professor Shiratori



Maltese tuna was served

HE Dr. Peter MOSER, Austrian Ambassador, and
Mr. Kunio ANZAI, Chairman of Tokyo Gas Co.



Dr. Hiroko NISHIDA of Nezu Museum



Waiting for toast 'Kampai'



Toast was initiated by Professor Shigetaro IIZUKA

Mr. Edward SAMMUT carried President's message



Young Staffs: Thank you very much