On 13 February 2026, the Birthday of the Emperor of Japan was celebrated in Ashgabat. A solemn reception to mark this significant date was hosted by the Ambassador of Japan to Turkmenistan, Hiroshi Sasaki.
The celebration brought together representatives of diplomatic circles, public figures, members of the creative community, and the business sector. The guest of honor representing the Government of Turkmenistan was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov.
“Since the origins of our nation and the imperial family are historically unclear, Japanese embassies around the world traditionally hold receptions in honor of current Emperor’s birthday. His Majesty Emperor NARUHITO will celebrate his 66th birthday in 10 days, on February 23,” the Ambassador noted during his speech.
Touching upon the subject of Turkmen-Japanese relations, Hiroshi Sasaki emphasized that last year, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov visited Japan twice: first to participate in EXPO 2025, and a second time to attend the “Central Asia + Japan” Summit.
“During both of his visits to Japan, the esteemed President met with His Majesty the Emperor. It is a rare occurrence for a foreign leader to meet with the Emperor twice in one year, which also symbolizes the exceptionally good relations between Japan and Turkmenistan,” Ambassador remarked.
Here is a full text of the speech by Ambassador Hiroshi Sasaki:
His Excellency President of Turkmenistan Mr. Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV, His Excellency National Leader of Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Mr. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, and His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Mr. Rashid MEREDOV, presented here,
Distinguished members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Turkmenistan, and honored guests,
On behalf of the Government of Japan, I express my sincere gratitude for your presence at today’s reception dedicated to the celebration of the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.
Since the origins of our nation and the imperial family are historically unclear, Japanese embassies around the world traditionally hold receptions in honor of current Emperor’s birthday. His Majesty Emperor NARUHITO will celebrate his 66th birthday in 10 days, on February 23.
Today’s reception is the third since my appointment as Ambassador to Turkmenistan in 2023.
It is customary for ambassadors to speak at such events about the current situation in their own countries and the progress of bilateral relations with Turkmenistan, but I will omit that this time, as I would like to present these topics as a quiz on the screen later during dinner.
Let me just mention one thing: last year, 2025, was a year in which esteemed President of Turkmenistan Mr. Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV, visited Japan twice – the first time to participate in the EXPO-2025 Osaka-Kansai exhibition in April and the second time to participate in the “Central Asia + Japan” Dialogue Summit in December, and which saw a dramatic development in bilateral relations, including the implementation of large-scale economic projects.
Furthermore, during both of his visits to Japan, the esteemed President met with His Majesty the Emperor. It is a rare occurrence for a foreign leader to meet with the Emperor twice in one year, which also symbolizes the exceptionally good relations between Japan and Turkmenistan.
Based on this foundation of bilateral relations, the Embassy of Japan also intends to hold events this year that exceed last year’s scale, including further expansion of Japanese companies’ business, support for Japanese language education, and cultural exchange.
Today, with the kind cooperation of A Turkmen National Institute of World Languages named after Azadi and the Turkmen National Conservatory, we have also organized performances showcasing Japanese performing arts. In addition, we have prepared Japanese cuisine, including sushi, as well as sake and whiskey “Made in Japan”. Although time is limited, we hope you will be able to experience Japanese culture and enjoy this evening.
Thank you for your attention. ///nCa, 14 February 2026
Here are some photos from the event:
