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
2014 Japanese general election re-appointed). The turnout in this election is the lowest in Japanese history. In 2012, the Democratic Party government under Yoshihiko Noda decided to implement a raise of the Japanese consumption tax. Following this move, the Liberal Democratic Party under Shinzo Abe regained control of the Japanese government in the December 2012 general election. Abe proceeded to implement a series of economic programs known as "Abenomics" in a bid to stimulate the economy. Despite these programs, Japan entered a technical recession in mid-2014, which Abe blamed on the consumption tax hike, even though many members of the LDP supported the hike.