Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto started the tour off his official visit to Asia, standing on the beginning in Japan. During his visit to Japan, Minister Haxhinasto was received at a special meeting by the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Koichiro Gemba. This visit is in the 20-th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations, and after one year will be celebrated 90 - anniversary of establishing the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The meeting discussed the bilateral relations between our two countries, the cooperation in international organizations, as well as the developments in the respective regions of both countries.

At the beginning of the meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister Mr. Gemba thanked for supporting that the people and the Albanian government have given to the tragic events in Fukushima. He also stressed that this visit will further strengthen the bilateral relations. Japan, said Mr. Gemba supports the reforms that Albania has undertaken, taking into account that is also a member of NATO. In addition, he said that Albania has a special importance for the stability of the entire Balkan region.

In his speech, Minister Haxhinasto praised the bilateral relations and expressed the gratitude for the help and assistance that Japan has given to Albania in the last two decades. In particular, he appreciated the assistance and support provided by Japan through JICA' s and said that now is the time that assistance and aid programs of concluded and transferred into a new phase of Japanese direct investment in the economy.

Further, Mr.Haxhinasto highlighted the advantages that Albania offers to Japanese investment as a contribution to peace and stability in the region, a country with a favorable geographic position and that in the future will be a member of the EU. Investment in Albania implies investment in a wider region, because Albania is a gateway to regional market that is moving rapidly toward a regional integration and further integration into the European Union. Among the areas that were identified by interviewees as areas of mutual interest could mention: energy, natural mineral resources, tourism, infrastructure, agriculture, and others.

Likewise Mr. Haxhinasto stressed that holding a joint business forum will further strengthen the cooperation between business communities and will help to identify the areas and projects of mutual interest.

One of the primary goals of Albanian foreign policy, underlined Mr. Haxhinasto remains the free movement of the Albanian citizens and of foreigners in our country. Now Albania moves without a visa in the Schengen area and has signed a series of the agreements on visa-free movement with many countries, with Brazil recently. I believe- said Mr.Haxhinasto - that now is the time to remove visas for Albanian citizens to visit Japan. The albanians, travel with biometric documents of a very high degree of security features and is a people who respect the rules of free movement, which was confirmed recently with the liberalization of visa regime with EU countries. The visa waiver, continued Minister Haxhinasto, will bring our two peoples closer, and will create the great opportunities for the cooperation and business communities of both countries.

Japanese Minister, Mr. Gemba said it should work jointly to achieve the abolition of visas. As a first step, he said, could soon carry visas to long term multi-entry and exit, and as a second step, will be the complete lifting of the visa.

Both interlocutors expressed the commitment to work together to achieve the abolition of visas, while stressing that this would relieve some categories, particularly the business community and will favor the tourist exchanges.

Further, Mr. Haxhinasto stressed that the strengthening of the bilateral cooperation generally, and economic and tourism in particular, would serve to open the Japanese embassy in Tirana.

Sharing the same opinion, the Japanese foreign minister said they are seriously considered opening the Japanese embassy in Tirana.

Likewise, the meeting focused on multilateral cooperation, where the interlocutors praised the level of the cooperation and mutual support of candidacies, especially within the United Nations. Albania, said Mr. Haxhinasto appreciates Japan's role and contribution in the global arena and within international organizations.

During the meeting, Minister Haxhinasto emphasized the constructive role of Albania in the region and thanked Mr. Gemba for Japan's commitment to strengthening peace, stability and sustainable development in the Balkan region. He stressed that the recognition of Kosovo's independence, for which Japan has made its contribution to assess, has strengthened the peace and security in the region and beyond. He asked Japan to support the inclusion of Kosovo in regional initiatives and international organizations.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Haxhinasto invited the Foreign Minister of Japan Mr. Gemba for a visit to Tirana, which would correspond to the 90 th anniversary of the establishing of diplomatic relations and the 100 anniversary of the declaration of independence of Albania, the invitation was accepted with pleasure.