Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Endo conferred a certificate of recognition on Saudi TV producer Ahmad Al-Shugairi for his MBC program “Khawater” (Thoughts) on Sunday. The program contributed to the development of bilateral ties between Japan and Saudi Arabia. Al-Shugairi received the award at the Japanese envoy’s residence.
“Khawater was broadcasted during Ramadan in 2009 and brought to Saudi households the images of Japanese life and culture and stressed the importance of discipline and hard work,” the Japanese envoy said.
He added that since then, the number of Saudi tourists to Japan increased significantly, adding that it has propped up the existing bilateral ties between the two countries, such as in trade.
“Japan and Saudi Arabia have excellent trade relations. Japan is one of the Kingdom’s most important trade partners,” he said. He noted, however, that there is much room for cultural expansion between Japan and Saudi Arabia and in this connection he’s thankful to Khawater.
He added that the two countries have different cultural backgrounds, but “both Saudis and Japanese have shared ways of thinking.”
