Japanese PM resumes hosting Iftar in Ramadan

The following day, LMA secretary Gamel Kheir doubled down on this statement in front of a large gathering at his organisation’s annual Iftar at Campsie in Sydney.

Ramia Abdo Sultan also spoke passionately on the subject at the second annual National Muslim Community Iftar, hosted by ANIC and the Alliance of Australian Muslims in Sydney) on 5 April 2023.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida hosted an Iftar, breaking of fast for ambassadors and diplomats from 44 countries based in Japan at the Prime Minister’s official residence on Thursday 30 March 2023 that was attended by a large number of parliamentarians and other guests.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, and others attended from the Japanese side.

While delivering his opening remarks, Mr Kishida touched on the bonds of trust and friendship that have been deepened over many years with the Muslim countries saying, “there is a need to lead to cooperation rather than confrontation, and the spirit of emphasising harmony and tolerance shared by Japan and the Muslim world that is more important than ever.”

In accordance with religious precepts, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from the time of prayer before sunrise until sunset during the month of fasting called Ramadan.

The first meal after sunset is called Iftar (meaning, breaking the fast in Arabic), and it is said that everyone eats together with their families and acquaintances, and strengthens mutual ties and consideration for others.

The Japanese government considers this to be a beneficial opportunity to promote friendly relations with Muslim countries. In 2005, under the auspices of then Prime Minister Koizumi, the Prime Minister’s Office held an Iftar for the first time with Muslim diplomatic corps stationed in Japan.

Since then, the Iftar has been hosted by the Prime Minister or the Minister for Foreign Affairs every year, with the exception of 2020 to 2022, when only a message from the Minister for Foreign Affairs was issued due to the Covid-19 Pandemic

The period of fasting in Ramadan this year started on Thursday 23 March and will last for a month.

Participating countries and regions celebrating Ramadan are as follows (in alphabetical order): Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan , Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Togo, Uganda, Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Noor Din (Thein Ngwe) is a Muslim revert from Tokyo, Japan. He is currently visiting his daughter in Melbourne, Australia.