The diplomatic relation between Czechoslovakia and Japan was established in 1919.[1] Czech architect Antonin Raymond was the honorary consul for the First Czechoslovak Republic in Japan from 1926 until 1939, representing the government of T. G. Masaryk.[2] The relations were broken off during World War II from 1939, and re-established in 1957.[3] Japan's first Minister Plenipotentiary to Czechoslovakia was Harukazu Nagaoka.[4]
After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Japan recognized the foundation of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, and likewise continued diplomatic relations with both republics.
In July 2002 the Emperor and Empress of Japan, Akihito and Michiko, made an official visit to Prague.[5]
In August 2003, Japanese Prime MinisterJunichiro Koizumi paid an official visit to the Central Europe, namely Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. On August 20, he left Warsaw for Prague as the last destination of his journey. In the afternoon of the next day, he held talks with Czech Prime MinisterVladimír Špidla at the Prime Minister's Office and there they exchanged their ideas and thoughts on the bilateral relations and significant global issues that include the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and reconstruction of Iraq, where it had been only three months since the war had ended.[6] According to the meeting, both of the prime ministers issued the "Joint Statement towards Strategic Partnership between Japan and the Czech Republic," which celebrated 10th anniversary of their partnership and the imperial visit to Prague a year ago as an epoch-making event and proclaimed more evolution of cooperation in the bilateral relations, in assisting the renaissance of Iraq and in preventing the further proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.[7]
Economic relations between Japan and the Czech Republic have been developing steadily with rapid growth of large-scale direct investment and trade of electrical machinery and mechanical components.[1]
