Farewell Reception of Ambassador and Madame Hayashi
2024/10/22
On 22 October, Ambassador and Madame Hayashi hosted a farewell reception at the Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom. The reception saw the attendance of approximately 140 distinguished guests, including the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Former Chancellor of the Exchequer (Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer), the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, former Foreign Secretary (Shadow Home Secretary), the Lord Coaker, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, the Rt Hon the Lord McFall of Alcluith, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, and Sir Mark Hendrick MP, Chair of the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group, as well as many other British parliamentary and senior government officials. Also in attendance were prominent figures from the judiciary, including the Rt Hon the Lady Arden of Heswall DBE, former Justice of the UK Supreme Court, Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the diplomatic corps, academics such as the Rt Hon. the Lord Patten of Barnes KG CH, former Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and individuals from the fields of culture, and media, along with representatives from businesses and organisations operating in the UK.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Hayashi, reflecting on his nearly four-year tenure as Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom, touched upon significant events such as the spread of COVID-19 and the vaccination campaign, the passing and state funeral of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the State Visit of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan. He also humorously remarked on the frequent changes in Prime Ministers and Secretaries of State in the UK during this time. Furthermore, Ambassador Hayashi expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the friendship, cooperation, support, and encouragement that he and his wife had received from those they met, both British and Japanese, during their time in the UK. Ambassador Hayashi also emphasised that during this period, the Japan-UK partnership had developed to an unprecedented level, with often referred to reaching the heights it had last seen during the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the early 20th century. He noted that the great-great-grandfather of Lord Salisbury, who was in attendance at the reception, was involved as the Prime Minister of the UK in the conclusion of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, and that around that time, the Embassy of Japan in the UK was headed by Ambassador Hayashi, a diplomat with the same family name as his.
The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, a longtime friend of Ambassador Hayashi, while exchanging jokes, praised the Ambassador’s numerous achievements, noting that the strong bond between the UK and Japan is founded on extremely close ties across various fields, including politics, economics, and culture. He further emphasised that the shared values between Japanese and British people, including those embodied by Ambassador Hayashi himself, have contributed significantly to the deepening of the friendship between the two countries.
The Rt Hon James Cleverly, who served as Foreign Secretary during Ambassador Hayashi’s tenure, expressed his regret at the Ambassador’s departure and shared personal anecdotes about his encounters with Japan. He paid tribute to Japan’s history, culture, and values, highlighting the many commonalities between Japan and the UK.
The Lord Coaker, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, representing the UK government in his toast, underscored the unprecedented level of cooperation between Japan and the UK in the field of defence and security during Ambassador Hayashi’s term. He highlighted key milestones such as the announcement of the " The Hiroshima Accord: An enhanced UK-Japan global strategic partnership," the signing and entry into force of the Japan-UK Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), and the signing of convention on the Establishment of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) involving Japan, the UK, and Italy. Lord Coaker commended Ambassador Hayashi for his significant contributions to these achievements and expressed his hope for both countries to further continue bilateral cooperation.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Hayashi, reflecting on his nearly four-year tenure as Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom, touched upon significant events such as the spread of COVID-19 and the vaccination campaign, the passing and state funeral of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the State Visit of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan. He also humorously remarked on the frequent changes in Prime Ministers and Secretaries of State in the UK during this time. Furthermore, Ambassador Hayashi expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the friendship, cooperation, support, and encouragement that he and his wife had received from those they met, both British and Japanese, during their time in the UK. Ambassador Hayashi also emphasised that during this period, the Japan-UK partnership had developed to an unprecedented level, with often referred to reaching the heights it had last seen during the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the early 20th century. He noted that the great-great-grandfather of Lord Salisbury, who was in attendance at the reception, was involved as the Prime Minister of the UK in the conclusion of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, and that around that time, the Embassy of Japan in the UK was headed by Ambassador Hayashi, a diplomat with the same family name as his.
The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, a longtime friend of Ambassador Hayashi, while exchanging jokes, praised the Ambassador’s numerous achievements, noting that the strong bond between the UK and Japan is founded on extremely close ties across various fields, including politics, economics, and culture. He further emphasised that the shared values between Japanese and British people, including those embodied by Ambassador Hayashi himself, have contributed significantly to the deepening of the friendship between the two countries.
The Rt Hon James Cleverly, who served as Foreign Secretary during Ambassador Hayashi’s tenure, expressed his regret at the Ambassador’s departure and shared personal anecdotes about his encounters with Japan. He paid tribute to Japan’s history, culture, and values, highlighting the many commonalities between Japan and the UK.
The Lord Coaker, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, representing the UK government in his toast, underscored the unprecedented level of cooperation between Japan and the UK in the field of defence and security during Ambassador Hayashi’s term. He highlighted key milestones such as the announcement of the " The Hiroshima Accord: An enhanced UK-Japan global strategic partnership," the signing and entry into force of the Japan-UK Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), and the signing of convention on the Establishment of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) involving Japan, the UK, and Italy. Lord Coaker commended Ambassador Hayashi for his significant contributions to these achievements and expressed his hope for both countries to further continue bilateral cooperation.
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