KIGALI - The Japanese government will soon open an embassy in Rwanda, to facilitate the "good cooperation between the two countries”, the Japanese Ambassador, Shigeo Iwatani confirmed yesterday.

Iwatani, whose residence is in Kenya said that the Japanese government had mooted the idea which awaits endorsement by their Parliament.

"The Japanese Parliament has approved the next fiscal year budget that starts next month (April) and part of the budget is funds to establish an embassy in Kigali,” he added.

He however could not determine the exact day the mission would open its doors saying; "there is still a long process to reach to the final stage. The approval of the funds to establish the embassy by the Upper House is not a mandatory, but hopefully by the end of January 2010 the embassy will be open.”

Should the approval go through, all diplomatic transactions between Rwanda and Japan will take place locally. Previously they were handled through the Japanese Embassy in Kenya.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Rosemary Museminali, appreciated the efforts by the Japanese government to strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Rwanda already has an embassy in Japan.

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