Today, 6 November 2025, the Embassy received Hon. So Watanabe, Member of the House of Representatives representing Miyazaki Prefecture, and Hon. Ms. Chiharu Takeuchi, Member of the House of Representatives representing Saitama Prefecture (originally from Miyazaki), during a courtesy visit aimed at strengthening bilateral dialogue and cooperation.
The MPs, both members of a Parliamentarian League representing Japan’s eel-producing prefectures, briefed the Embassy on Japan’s position regarding the proposed listing of freshwater eel species under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to be discussed at the upcoming COP20 meeting in Uzbekistan later this month.
The Embassy acknowledged previous communications on similar matters from Japanese stakeholders, including the Nippon Foundation and ZENSHO Holdings, and assured that the information has been relayed to the relevant authorities in Tanzania to inform the country’s position within the CITES framework.
The MPs also expressed appreciation for the ongoing VETA–Nagai City Exchange Program, noting their positive interactions with Tanzanian trainees during visits in 2025. They further discussed prospects for establishing a Japan–Tanzania Parliamentarians League to enhance collaboration in agriculture, fisheries, education, and cultural exchange.
The Embassy expressed gratitude for the MPs’ visit and reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Japan through government, parliamentary, and people-to-people engagements.
