Japanese Reception at the Hilton Hotel

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The birthday of the emperor of Japan is celebrated by the Japanese every December. Referred to simply as The Emperor’s Birthday, this is a national holiday that gives an opportunity for many Japanese to have a glimpse of their emperor as he and other members of the royal family appear at the balcony of the Imperial Palace (usually closed to the public throughout the year) to acknowledge the people’s greetings. In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to "His Imperial Majesty." Born in 1933, Emperor Akihito is the current emperor of Japan.
In Abuja, the celebration took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and was hosted by the Japanese ambassador and his wife, H.E and Mrs. Toshitsugu Uesawa. In an interview with him recently, Ambassador Uesawa says one of the things he has enjoyed most as a diplomat, aside from having the opportunity to serve his government, is that he has made a lot of friends. Ambassador Uesawa began his career as at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1977 and was appointed ambassador to Nigeria in 2007. He is also his country’s permanent representative to the ECOWAS.