Following the visit to Tokyo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto had a meeting with a group of deputies of the Japanese parliament (Diet), part of which was Mr. Naoki Watanabe by the House of Representatives and Mr. Naoki Tanaka and Haku Shinkun by the House of Advisers. The meeting focused on bilateral relations, economic cooperation, the relations between the parliaments, and on the developments in the respective regions.

In his speech Mr. Haxhinasto praised the excellent relations between the two countries and thanked for continued support and assistance that Japan has given to Albania during the last two decades, aid which has been concentrated in very important sectors of the Albanian economy. Albania, he said, as a result of the assistance of the international community, including Japan, as well as of the reforms undertaken by the Albanian government has had notable economic progress. In this context he invited Japanese business, to come and to invest in Albania. Albania is the opening gate of a regional market, which in the near future will be part of the European Union.

In addition, Mr.Haxhinasto urged Japanese lawmakers to contribute to the abolition of visas for Albanian citizens to freely visit Japan. A category that will win in this direction is the business community, and further, the field of tourism will have direct benefits. Albania, said Minister Haxhinasto, offers unique opportunities for natural tourism, but also for the cultural and historical. Albania, he continued, should be part of the tourist map of the Japanese people and the  Albanians travel without visas in the Schengen area as a result of issuing biometric documents, policies to manage border control, combating illegal trafficking and organized  crime .

Mr. Haxhinasto underlined that Albania plays a constructive role in the Balkan region, and meets the international obligations and for this, it suffices to mention our contribution in Afghanistan.

Japanese MPs thanked for helping the Albanian people after the tsunami of 11 March this year, and assessed the progress and economic developments in Albania. They said that estimate the Albanian policy in the region and expressed the readiness to help to achieve the abolition of visas for Albanians. They also expressed their commitment to promote the growing number of Japanese tourists in Albania.

Assessing the role and importance of parliamentary diplomacy, Japanese parliamentarians underlined the necessity of strengthening the contacts and exchanges between the two parliaments, welcoming visits of Albanian representatives in Tokyo.