Japan–Maldives relations Japan–Maldives relations Japan–Maldives relations are foreign relations between Japan and Maldives. Diplomatic relations were established in 1967. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former President of the Maldives, had visited Japan four times between 1984 and 2001. In 2014 Abdulla Yameen, the President of Maldives, met with Japanese Prime minister, Shinzo Abe in Tokyo.Maldives opened an embassy in Tokyo, in 2007. Japan also has an embassy in Malé, the Maldives. In 1987, a massive storm surge hit and flooded a large part of the Maldives. The devastating surge wielded a strong influence on this island country in the Indian Ocean, particularly the
Hakubun Shimomura deputy chief cabinet secretary in the first government of Shinzo Abe in 2006. Shimomura was again appointed to the Cabinet by Shinzo Abe as minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology on 26 December 2012. As minister, Shimomura expanded the ability of local schools to provide Saturday classes and pushed for the globalization of Japanese universities by increasing English skills and hiring more foreign faculty. He oversaw preparations by the Organising Committee for the 2020 Summer Olympics on behalf of the national government in Tokyo before being replaced by Olympics Minister Toshiaki Endo on June 25, 2015. Following the