The Japanese ambassador to Iceland, Suzuki Ryotaro, has gone far beyond his formal role and endeared him to Icelanders. He has earnestly immersed himself in Icelandic culture, evident in his many appearances on Icelandic TV and Twitter. He is an experienced diplomat and a polymath who speaks many languages. I think he does such a good job representing the great country of Japan here in Iceland.
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Learning Icelandic through children’s books
I follow the Japanese ambassador to Iceland on Twitter and his account is one of my favorites. I especially enjoy his Esja watch; the Japanese embassy has a great view towards Mt. Esja, which is iconic for Reykjavik. He is also learning Icelandic by reading Icelandic books. The ambassador started sensibly by perusing Icelandic children’s books but is graduating with more advanced reading material.
Icelandic Sushi is good. Confirmed.
The ambassador is also good at trying Icelandic cuisine. When he complimented Icelandic Sushi on TV, I was thrilled. Iceland certainly has quality fish for Sushi, and it is one of my favorite dishes.
Hello Mr. ambassador, and thank you for taking the time to interview. Can you give my readers a little background on yourself?
I arrived in Reykjavik as an ambassador from Tokyo in the middle of June 2021. I am married and with two children, but they are still in Tokyo. My chef joined me here in Iceland, however. I joined the Japanese foreign service back in 1985 and have been involved with the various work of the Foreign Ministry ever since.
Iceland is the eighth posting of the ambassador
Before coming to Iceland, I had been posted to seven different diplomatic missions or embassies, starting from our embassy in Lagos, Nigeria. That embassy is no longer there because the capital of Nigeria has since moved to a place called Abuja. The most recent diplomatic post abroad was in Paris, France. I was there as the deputy permanent representative of Japan to the OECD. I struggled with my poor French, but luckily, I did not have to use that so much in my work since English and French are used as one of the official languages at the OECD. My posting in Stockholm, Sweden, was from 2011-to 2014. I learned basic Swedish while I was there. I came here to Iceland on a family vacation for a week during my tenure. However, there was nothing to suggest I would be posted to Iceland at that time.
You are learning the Icelandic language. Isn’t it challenging for a Japanese-speaking person?
It is a very difficult language to learn, but I have always been up to challenges!!
Japanese is, of course, my native tongue, but I have also learned many European languages during my career. As I mentioned, I learned some Swedish while I was in Stockholm and also learned German and French back in college. I have never managed to master those languages, but the knowledge of words here and there and how those grammar rules work helps me a lot to learn the language here. Language learning should not be regarded as a mere study, but something like a life-long habit and as a process of knowing other cultures than your own. I am inquisitive and still eager to know Icelandic people and their culture.
Iceland and Japan are island nations. Do you find similarities in our countries’ cultures?
Both countries are quite far apart geographically, but they share many similarities. Both consist of islands sitting at the edge of a continental earth crust with active volcanos, hot springs, and many earthquakes! I agree that we, Icelanders and Japanese, both share similar cultural traits of island inhabitants. The sea insulates them from events happening in other parts of the world. Both nations tend to regard independence as a matter of course and see world events as something unrelated to their everyday lives. They tend to regard themselves as exceptional. As you might know, historically, Japan experienced long years of quasi-self-isolation from the middle of the 17th century to the 19th century.
But the similarity ends there. Japan is, in fact, not so far away from China and Korea, geographically, as typical Icelanders might imagine. Russia is also our immediate neighbor to the north. The Japanese people also place greater values on unity as a group and are much less tolerant towards deviation from the social norm. Japan is a densely populated country with over 125 million inhabitants.
I have come to be aware that both nations have experienced many natural disasters in the past. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are not uncommon, both in Japan and Iceland. Such natural disasters are tragic, of course, but those events have taught us both to accept certain unexpected happenings in life and made us resilient to external shocks.
In your opinion, where is the best Sushi in Reykjavik?
I must confess I have not tried all the sushi places here in Reykjavik. With my limited experience, I thought Sushi Social offered very good sushi dishes and other cuisines of interest. The Fish Company impressed me with their presentation of a sushi plate.
But I think the Sushi prepared by my chef at the residence is still the best Sushi around here !!
What has surprised you most about Iceland and Icelandic culture?
I was invited to attend an opening of an art exhibition at a local museum. This happened a few weeks after my arrival in Iceland. I thought it was a very informal gathering, but I came across the President, Iceland’s Head of State! With no visible security guards present and around him. That would be unthinkable in Japan. In Japan, the presence of the Emperor or his family is considered a special occasion. It can only happen with heavy preparations, formalities, and protocols. They are almost always with special police officers called “Security Police” and guards around them. I was very much struck by the friendliness and accessibility of the Head of State here.
What are your favorite places, restaurants, and activities in Iceland?
I enjoy visiting the local public library at Kringlan and nearby thermal pools. Skating is also one of my favorite pastimes, and I have already visited the skating rink at Laugardalur several times. When the weather is nice, I also enjoy hiking and walking. The other day, I visited Búllan, one of Tommi’s hamburger joints, with my chef. That was fun, too.
What advice would you give to those visiting Iceland for the first time?
At first, I would recommend going to the usual places on tour. If you are a nature lover, enjoy yourself with the abundance of stunning landscapes. After visiting familiar sites like Þingvellir, or Geysir, I recommend going to one of the pools and talking to some of the locals. Don’t forget to bring your swimwear!
