Japan*

Visas

Citizens of Montenegro must own a visa in order to enter and stay in Japan. The issuance of visas is under the jurisdiction of the Embassy of Japan in Belgrade, Serbia.

Bilateral Relations/Diplomatic Relations Overview

Montenegro and Japan develop, in continuity, good and friendly relations – accompanied by a constructive dialogue on higher political levels.

The Government of Japan officially recognized Montenegro on the 16th of June 2006, and the diplomatic relations were established on the 24th of July 2006.

Katsumata Takahiko, the non-residential Ambassador of Japan to Montenegro (with residence in Belgrade), presented his credentials to the President Milo Đukanović on on the 2nd of February 2021.

Mr. Veselin Šuković, Ambassador of Montenegro to Japan (non-residentially, from Vienna, Austria), presented the copies of his credentials to Akiba Takeo, Deputy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the 1st of November 2018.

Political Contacts

On the 24th of July 2021, the Prime MInister of Montenegro Prof. Dr. Zdravko Krivokapić paid a visit to Japan, on the occasion of the official opening ceremony of the Olympics / Paraolympics in Tokyo. Mr. Krivokapić had a meeting with the former PMOJ Yoshihide Suga. Accompanying Mr. Krivokapić, as a member of the delegation, was the Finance Minister, Mr. Milojko Spajić.

The President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, with his wife, attended the Japan Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony on the 22nd of October 2019. During his visit to Tokyo, President Đukanović had a bilateral meeting with Shinzo Abe, then Prime Minister of Japan.

After an invitation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Taro Kono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Srđan Darmanović, paid an official visit to Japan between, 1st and 5th of November 2018.

In June of 2012, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro, Milan Roćen, paid the first official visit to Japan, on which occasion he had meetings with: Japanese MFA, Kōichirō Genba, Crown Prince, Naruhito Shinnō; vice-president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Masakazu Ichikawa; President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense of the House of Councillors of Japan, Tetsuro Fukuyama; Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, Norifumo Idea; and the President of the Executive Board and executive director of “Daido Metal“, Seigo Hanji.

On the 5th of September 2016, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Motome Takizawa, visited Montenegro and had meeting with Milo Đukanović, then the Prime Minister of Montenegro.

On the 8th of May 2013, President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, and Vice-Premier / MFA of Montenegro Igor Lukšić had separate meetings with the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Minoru Kiuchi.

Between the 10th and 14th of June 2007, after an invitation by the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, the President of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, visited Japan. On that occasion, he had talks with: The Minister for Foreign Affairs (and later, in 2008, the Prime Minister of Japan), Taro Aso; the Minister of Defense Fumio Kyūma; with the leader of the “New Komeito” party Akihiro Ota; as well as with the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (and later, in 2008, the Prime Minister of Japan), Yukio Hatoyama.

Mrs. Akiko Yamanaka, the Special Envoy of the Prime Minster of Japan - as well as the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, visited Montenegro on the 22nd of June 2006.

Economic Cooperation / International Trade

Overall exchange of goods and services in 2021 (January – October) amounted to €13,497,999 (out of which the exports were €128,569, and the imports were €13,369,430); overall exchange of goods and services in 2020 amounted €17,484,793 (out of which the imports were €17,124,681, and the exports were €360.112). No foreign direct investments from Japan were recorded during 2020. 

A Japan company “Daido Metal Kotor AD “is present in Montenegro, while, also, the company      „ Toshiba “has its representation in Podgorica.

According to the data provided by the Statistical Office of Montenegro (Monstat), during the period of January - May 2021 alltogether 33 tourists stayed for a total amount of 59 nights, in the collective accomodation; in 2020, alltogether 298 tourists stayed for 1,239 nights.

Development cooperation

Japan has, through the local programme “POPOS” (i.e. Japanese irrevocable help for projects of basic needs for the population), so far provided numerous donations – primarily in the fields of health and education. “POPOS” donations aim to support social development, through the realization of projects based on the citizens’ needs. The Government of Japan provides the necessary financial aid for the realization of these projects (that are set to contribute to the overall socioeconomic development). Environmental, sanitary and social protection, as well as health and education, are, all together, the Japanese Government’s primary fields of interest in this regard. The entire amount of Japanese help through “POPOS”, has so far, since 1998, reached the number of more than three million euros.

Within the framework of the "Programme of Economic and Social Development", the Japanese Government has provided Montenegro with cca ¥100 million (roughly €800,000). The purpose is in the strengthening of it’s health system for the fight against infectious diseases (including COVID-19) - by the means of providing for necessary medical equipment.

Japan's Western Balkans Initiative

Japan provides support for the social and economic reforms, as well as for intra-regional cooperation, for all the countries of the Western Balkans (including Montenegro) - through the initiative designed in 2018 by the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. The Government of Japan has, also, in January of 2018, appointed Mr. Jun Saito (deputy of the director-general for the European affairs in the MFA of Japan) to be a special ambassador for the Western Balkan's countries (with residence in Tokyo).