Ambassador of Japan, guest of honour at the Skål International Madrid luncheon meeting
On 27 May, Skål International Madrid held its traditional monthly luncheon meeting at the Hotel Puerta de América, with the distinguished presence of the Ambassador of Japan in Spain, Takahiro Nakamae.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Mai Sasaki, Counsellor for Economic Affairs, Transport and Tourism at the Embassy of Japan.
The event brought together many members and friends of Skål International, including prominent personalities from the Mexican tourism sector such as Fernando Olivera, founder of Skål International Guanajuato and former Secretary of Tourism; Roberto Ibarra Zamorano, from Skål International Ciudad de Mexico; David Tarrab, organiser of a recent incentive trip to Japan with 130 participants; and Pedro Haces Sordo, from Skål International Acapulco. Also present were Dalton Zahir, a new member of Skål International Madrid from Lisbon, and two young additions: Alba García and Héctor Castrejón received their diplomas as new Skålleagues.
During lunch, after a warm welcome and the introduction of the participants by Francisco Rivero, President of Skål International Spain, Ambassador Nakamae gave an interesting speech on the bilateral relations between Japan and Spain, with special emphasis on tourism and the economy.
Ambassador Takahiro Nakamae's background
Born in Hiroshima in August 1960, Takahiro Nakamae holds a law degree from the University of Tokyo. He joined the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he has had a distinguished diplomatic career. He has held positions as Counsellor at the Japanese Embassies in Argentina and Iraq, Director of International Peace Cooperation, and Director for Mexico and Central America at the Bureau of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs. He has also served as Minister at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, Consul General in São Paulo and Ambassador to Argentina. Since September 2022, he has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Spain.
Economic and tourist exchange between Japan and Spain
The ambassador highlighted key data on bilateral trade in 2024:
Spanish exports to Japan: 2,850 million euros, mainly in pork meat, automobiles, olive oil and medicines.
Japanese exports to Spain: 4.98 billion euros, centred on automobiles and steel products.
He also highlighted the growing presence of Spanish companies in Japan, such as Gestamp and Iberdrola, and Japanese leadership in Asian investment in Spain, especially in renewable energies and green hydrogen.
In the area of tourism, Japan has experienced remarkable growth in the last two decades. In 2024, tourist flows between the two countries reached outstanding figures:
Spanish visitors to Japan: 180,000 (historical record).
Japanese visitors to Spain: 410,000 (60% of pre-pandemic levels).
Among the common challenges, the ambassador mentioned tourist overcrowding, the concentration of visitors on popular routes and the shortage of labour in the sector.
Cultural links and future opportunities
Nakamae also highlighted the deep historical and cultural ties between the two countries, such as the presence of the surname ‘Japón’ in Coria del Río (Seville), the twinning between the Camino de Santiago and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, and the popularity in Japan of Spanish gastronomic products such as Basque cheesecake or ‘al ajillo’ dishes.
He also spoke of the growing interest in wine tourism in Japan, with visits to sake and whisky cellars, and the parallels between sake and Jerez wines. He also referred to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and the year of Japan and Catalonia, highlighting Japanese admiration for Gaudí and Spanish architecture.
A toast with a Madrid flavour
The lunch was accompanied by wines from the winery ‘Las Moradas de San Martín’ (D.O. Vinos de Madrid), which offered its white ‘Albillo Real’ and red ‘Initio’, adding a local touch to this international meeting.
