Japan*

Visa regime

Nationals of Japan may enter, pass through the territory of and stay in Montenegro up to 90 days, with a valid travel document, without a visa

Diplomatic Relations

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

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, the 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.

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.

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.

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 2020 amounted €17,4 million (out of which the imports were €14,3 million, and the rest was related to exports). No foreign direct investments from Japan were recorded during 2020. 

A Japan company “Daido Metal Kotor AD“ does business in Montenegro, while, also, the company „Toshiba“ has it's representation in Podgorica.

According to the data of the Statistical Office of Montenegro, 241 tourists from Japan visited Montenegro during 2020, staying for a total amount of 739 nights.

Miscellaneous

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.

Donation of Japan in 2020

Japan has provided for a donation programme - aiming to help and advance the health system in all countries stricken by the Coronavirus pandemic. The aforementioned programme is conducted  within the broader framework of the Government of Japan’s "Programme of Economic and Social Development". So far, 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. Through this programme, Montenegro has applied for various medical equipment for the General Hospitals in the towns of Berane and Nikšić.

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, so called Shuttle Ambassador).

Cooperation with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

The Bilateral cooperation with “JICA” is being conducted on the basis of the Agreement on Technical Cooperation Between the Council of Ministers of Serbia And Montenegro and the Government of Japan (signed in Belgrade, on the 30th of November 2005). The Government of Japan, in coordination with “JICA”, organizes seminars for the participants from Montenegro. All the information, with regards to the actual training programs, can be found on the web-site of the Ministry of Economic Development of Montenegro – which coordinates the cooperation with the Agency, and through whose mediation all of the candidates may apply.