Basic Data

1. Political Relations

(1) Japan opened a legation in Iran in August 1929, and Iran opened a legation in Japan in July 1930. Diplomatic relations were suspended in April 1942 and reopened in November 1953. In February 1955 the legations were elevated to the status of embassies. In January 1977, the Japanese Consulate General opened in the city of Khorramshahr, but it was temporarily closed in 1981 because of the Iran-Iraq War (officially closed in April 1997).

(2) In May 1958, Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI visited Japan. In November 1960, the Crown Prince and Princess visited Iran. In September 1978, Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda visited Iran.

(3) Iranian President Seyyed Mohammad KHATAMI visited Japan at the end of October 2000, the first visit of an Iranian president to Japan, and the first head of government from Iran to visit in 42 years.

(4) VIP visits continued after the Ahmadinejad administration was formed, including the visits by Mr. Mohammad Reza BAHONAR, First Vice Speaker of Parliament, to Japan in November 2005; Foreign Minister Manouchehr MOTTAKI in February-March 2006; Mr. Esfandyar Rahim MASHAEE, Vice President and Head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization in July of the same year; Mr. Mohammad ALIABADI, Vice President and Head of Physical Education Organization, in August 2007; the visits to Iran by Mr. Itsunori Onodera, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs in October, November and December 2007 and June 2008; visits to Japan by H.E. Dr. Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, Mayor of Tehran, in October 2008; Mr. Esfandyar Rahim MASHAEE, Vice President and Head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization, in November 2008; Mr. Hojjatol-eslam Mohammad Esmail SHOUSHTARI, Advisor to the Judiciary Chief, in November 2008; and Mr. Mojtaba SAMAREH HASHEMI, Senior Advisor to President (special presidential envoy) in January 2009. On June 3, 2008, Prime Minister Fukuda and President Ahmadinejad met on the occasion of the World Food Summit in Rome, the first meeting between the leaders of Japan and Iran in eight years. Meetings between the foreign ministers of the two countries have been held 13 times, including 10 telephone conferences, since 2006.

2. Economic Relations

(1) Iran's Trade with Japan

(a) Trade value

(Unit: $ billion)

Year     1990    1996    2000    2004    2005    2006    2007

Exports to Japan           3.5       3.2       5.30     8.26     10.35   11.11   12.74

Imports from Japan       1.6       0.7       0.57     1.12     1.35     1.17     1.33

Total    5.1       3.9       5.87     9.38     11.70   12.28   14.07

(Source: World Trade Atlas)

 

(b) Main products (2007)

Iran to Japan: Crude oil (96%), LPG (3%)

(Crude oil imports to Japan 499,000 barrels/day (12.1%. Third leading crude oil supply country after Saudi Arabia and UAE) (2007))

Japan to Iran: General machinery (30%), motor vehicles (28%), iron and steel (13%)

(2) Direct investment from Japan

Fiscal 1992: $378 million

Since fiscal 1993: 0 (cumulative total 1979-2007: $529 million)

(3) Economic missions

1990, March     Visit by Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (KEIDANREN) mission

1991, September           Visit by Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (KEIDANREN) Qeshm Island observation mission

1993, February Visit by Japan Association of Corporate Executives delegation

1998, July        Visit by Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (KEIDANREN) mission

2001, July        Visit by Japanese government economic mission

2006, May       Visit to Japan by a delegation from the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Mines (to participate in the Iran Business Seminar organized by the Japan and Tokyo Chambers of Commerce and Industry)

2008, November           Visit to Japan by an Iranian government delegation (consisting of representatives from the President's Office and Ministries of Oil, Energy, and Foreign Affairs, to participate in an Iran Investment Seminar organized jointly by JETRO and the Iranian Embassy in Tokyo)

3. Japan's Economic Cooperation (as of 2007)

(1) Loan aid: Aggregate of 81.028 billion yen until Japanese fiscal year 2007 (exchange of notes basis)

(2) Grant aid: Aggregate of 3.629 billion yen until Japanese fiscal year 2007 (exchange of notes basis)

(3) Technical Cooperation: Aggregate of 21.161 billion yen until Japanese fiscal year 2007 (cost basis)

4. Cultural Relations

(1) Japan-Iran Cultural Agreement concluded in 1957 (cultural exchanges commemorating the 50th anniversary of this agreement from November 2008 to November 2009).

(2) Most active human exchanges in Middle East (about 40% of government sponsored foreign students).

(3) Iran Culture Week organized by the Embassy of Iran in Tokyo, July 1997, May 2003

(4) Japan Culture Week and Month in Tehran organized by the Embassy of Iran in Tokyo in October 1998, October 1999. Project to introduce Japanese culture also held in February 2003.

 

(5) "The Glory of Persia" exhibit held in Tokyo, Aichi, Hokkaido, Fukuoka, and Osaka, August 2006-September 2007. The history of Persia dating back about 7,000 years was introduced through an exhibit of approximately 200 pieces, mostly from the National Museum of Iran.

(6) 2009 is the 80th anniversary of the opening of Japan-Iran diplomatic relations.

5. Number of Japanese Nationals Residing in Iran

711 (registered number as of October 2008)

(registered number of Japanese corporations as of October 2008: 33)

6. Number of Iranian Nationals Residing in Japan

5,165 (registered number as of December 31, 2008; Ministry of Justice statistics)

7. VIP Visits (since the founding of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979)

Japanese VIPs visiting Iran

Year     Name

1979, October  Masumi Ezaki, Minister of International Trade and Industry

1983, August    Mr. Shintaro Abe, Minister for Foreign Affairs

1986, January   Mr. Masayuki Fujio, Chairman of the Policy Affairs' Research Council, Liberal Democratic Party

1987, June       Mr. Tadashi Kuranari, Minister for Foreign Affairs

1989, July        Mr. Masayuki Fujio, Liberal Democratic Party special envoy (condolence emissary for Ayatollah Khomeini)

Mr. Masayuki Fujio, President, Japan-Iran Parliamentarians' League

1991, March     Mr. Taro Nakayama, Minister for Foreign Affairs (Japan-Iran Parliamentarians' League delegation)

1992, May       Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, Member of the House of Representatives (former Finance Minister)

1998, April       Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs

1998, October  Party led by Mr. Koki Chuma, Chairman, Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee

1999, August    Mr. Masahiko Koumura,Minister for Foreign Affairs

2000, August    Japan-Iran Parliamentarians' League delegation (Mr. Taro Nakayama, President, Mr. Koji Omi, Vice President, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, Secretary-General, first Japanese delegation in 9 years)

2001, July        Mr. Takeo Hiranuma, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry

2001, August    Ms. Kaori Maruya, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs

2001, August    Mr. Hosei Norota, Chairman of the Committee on Budget of the House of Representatives, and party

2001, October  Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Prime Minister's Special Envoy

2001, November           Mr. Koichi Yoshida, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives

2001, December           Democratic Party of Japan Diet Members' group (Mr. Motohisa Ikeda, Diet Member, Mr. Shoichi Kondo, Diet Member, Mr. Masamitsu Naito, Diet Member, Mr. Tsukasa Iwamoto, Diet Member)

2002, January   Ms. Sadako Ogata, Special Representative of Prime Minister of Japan on Afghanistan

2002, May       Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs

2002, September           Mr. Kozo Watanabe, Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives

2002, November           Mr. Taro Nakayama, Prime Minister's Special Envoy (Iraq issue)

2003, March     New Komeito Diet Members' group (Ms. Toshiko Hamayotsu, Deputy Representative, Mr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Diet Member)

2003, May       Liberal Democratic Party Diet Member's group (Mr. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Diet Member, Mr. Mikio Shimoji, Diet Member, Mr. Hideaki Omura, Diet Member)

2003, June       New Komeito Diet Members' group (Mr. Akihiro Ota, Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Diet Member)

2003, June       Mr. Yukio Okamoto, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister

2003, December           Mr. Yukio Okamoto, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister

2004, January   Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs

2004, February New Komeito Diet Members' group (Ms. Toshiko Hamayotsu, Deputy Representative, Mr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Diet Member, Visit to Mesopotamian marsh)

2004, May       Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Prime Minister's Special Envoy

2004, May       Mr. Toshitsugu Saito, Chairman of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Iraq, Mr. Gen Nakatani, Committee member)

2004, August    Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (to participate in International Environmental Conference)

2005, January   Mr. Ichiro Aisawa, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

2005, May       Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister

2006, April-May           Democratic Party of Japan Diet Members' group (Mr. Katsuya Okada, former Representative, Mr. Shu Watanabe, Diet Member, Mr. Hideki Wakabayashi, Diet Member)

2006, August    Liberal Democratic Party Diet Members' group (Mr. Ichiro Aisawa, Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Hiromichi Watanabe, Assistant Vice Secretary-General, Mr. Kazuki Sugawara, Vice Secretary-General)

2006, November           Mr. Kenshiro Matsunami, Diet Member, Mr. Hitoshi Goto, Diet Member (attendance at the 7th General Assembly of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace)

2007, October  Mr. Itsunori Onodera, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

2007, November           Mr. Itsunori Onodera, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

2007, November           Mr. Koji Omi, Diet Member

2007, Decmeber           Mr. Itsunori Onodera, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

2008, June       Mr. Itsunori Onodera, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

2008. June Mr. Kotaro Tamura, Diet Member

2008, August    Ms. Akiko Yamanaka, Diet Member

2008, November           Mr. Taro Nakayama, Chairman Japan-Iran Parliamentarians Friendship League

Iranian VIPs visiting Japan

Year     Name

1984, April       Dr. Ali Akbar VELAYATI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

1985, February Mr. Behzad NAVABI, Minister of Heavy Industries

1985, June       Mr. Serajeldin KAZEROUNI, Minister of House & Urban Construction

1985, July        Mr. Ali Akbar HASHEMI RAFSANJANI, Speaker of Parliament (with Dr. Ali Akbar VELAYATI, Minister of Foreign Affairs)

1987, November           Dr. Ali Akbar VELAYATI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

1988, December           Mr. Mohammad GHARAZI, Minister for Post

1989, February Mr. Mostafa MIR-SALIM, Vice President (to attend Rites of Imperial Funeral)

1990, November           Mr. Alireza MOAYERI, Advisor to the President (ambassador to celebrate the Enthronement)

1991, September           Iran-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group (led by Mr. Mohammad Ali SOBHANOLLAHI)

1993, March     Mr. Gholamhossein KARBASCHI, Mayor of Tehran

1993, October  Mr. Gholamhossein KARBASCHI, Mayor of Tehran

1994, May       Mr. Gholam Reza AGHAZADEH, Minister of Petroleum

1997, December           Dr. Masoumeh EBTEKAR, Vice President and Head of Department of Environment

1998, February Mr. Mostafa HASHEMI TABA, Vice President and President of the Physical Education Organization

1998, September           Mr. Ali Movahedi SAVOJI, Head of Interior Committee, Parliament

1998, December           Dr. Kamal KHARRAZI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

1999, October  Dr. Hassan ROHANI, Vice Speaker of Parliament

2000, May       Mr. Mahmoud HOJJATI, Minister of Road and Transportation

2000, June       Mr. Hojjatol-eslam Seyyed Mohammad Ali ABTAHI, Head of Presidential Office (funeral ambassador for Prime Minister Obuchi)

2000, September Dr. Ataollah MOHAJERANI, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance

2000, October-November          Mr. Hojjatol-eslam Seyyed Mohammad KHATAMI, President (accompanied by Dr. Kamal KHARRAZI, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bijan ZANGENEH, Minister of Petroleum, official guests)

2001, February Mr. Bijan ZANGENEH, Minister of Petroleum

2001, July Dr. Ataollah MOHAJERANI, Head of International Institute for Dialogue among Civilizations

2001, October  Iran-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group (led by Mr. Rahmani Kalili, 4 others)

2001, November Dr. Kamal KHARRAZI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

2002, January   Dr. Kamal KHARRAZI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

2002, September Mr. Bijan ZANGENEH, Minister of Petroleum

2002, October  Mr. Seyyed Mohammad-Reza KHATAMI, Vice Speaker of Parliament (Mr. Ahmadi, Member of Parliament, Mr. Namazi, Member of Parliament)

2002, December Mr. Majid ANSARI, Head of Planning and Budget Committee, Parliament

2003, January   Mr. Ahmad MOTAMEDI, Minister of Post

2003, March     Mr. Habibollah BITARAF, Minister of Energy

2003, May Dr. Gholam-Ali HADDADADEL, Member of Parliament (to participate in Iran Culture Week)

2003, August    Dr. Kamal KHARRAZI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

2004, March     Dr. Hassan ROHANI, Secretary, Supreme National Security Council

2004, April Mr. Mohsen MEHRALIZADEH, Vice President and Head of the Physical Education Organization

2005, February Dr. Kamal KHARRAZI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

2005, April       Mr. Mohammad SHARIATMADARI, Minister of Commerce (Expo 2005, Aichi, Japan)

2005, May       Mr. Seyyed Mohammad BEHSHTI, Head of Cultural Heritage Centre, Iran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization

2005, May       Mr. Hamidreza Baradaran SHORAKA, Vice President and Head of Management and Planning Organization

2005, July Mr. Mohammad Reza BAHONAR, First Vice Speaker of Parliament (Opinion Leader Invitation)

2005, August    Mr. Hossein MARASHI, Vice President and Head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization

2006, February Mr. Manouchehr MOTTAKI, Minister of Foreign Affairs

2006, July Mr. Esfandyar Rahim MASHAEE, Vice President and Head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization

2006, August    Mr. Hojjatol-eslam Seyyed Mohammad KHATAMI, Former President (World Conference on Religion and Peace)

2007, March Mr. Mohammad SHARIATMADARI, Member of Foreign Relations and Strategy Council (Opinion Leader Invitation)

2007, June Mr. Ali ABBSPOUR TEHRANIFARD, Head of Education and Research Committee, Parliament

2007, August    Mr. Mohammad ALIABADI, Vice President, Head of Physical Education Organization (Asian sports presidents' meeting)

2007, December Mr. Parviz FATTAH, Minister of Energy (Asia-Pacific Water Forum)

2008, February Dr. Mohammad-Javad ARDASHIR=LARIJANI, Secretary General of National Supreme Council of the Human Rights of the Judiciary and Advisor to the Judiciary Chief for International Affairs

2008, October  Dr. Mohammad Baqer GHALIBAF, Mayor of Tehran (Opinion Leader Invitation)

2008, November Mr. Esfandyar Rahim MASHAEE, Vice President and Head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization

2008, December Mr. Hojjatol-eslam Mohammad Esmail SHOUSHTARI, Advisor to the Judiciary Chief

2009, January   Mr. Mojtaba SAMAREH HASHEMI, Senior Advisor to President (Special Presidential Envoy)

8. Bilateral Agreements/Arrangements

1939    Treaty of Amity (70th anniversary of this treaty in 2009)

1953    Exchange of notes to reopen diplomatic relations

1958    Cultural Agreement

1958    Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement

1963    Mutual Judicial Assistance Arrangements

1974    Visa Waiver Arrangements (partially suspended since April 1992)

9. Diplomatic Envoys

(1) Mr. Akio Shirota, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (credentials presented December 4, 2007)

(2) Dr. Seyyed Abbas ARAGHCHI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (credentials presented March 11, 2008)

***

***