Qatar and Japan have always enjoyed strong bilateral relations and the two countries have collaborated in several fields to further consolidate their bond.

The Qatar Friendship Fund (QFF), affiliated with the Qatar Fund for Development, has played an essential role in this.

Since its establishment QFF has implemented 12 projects to meet the urgent and sustainable needs of the residents of the areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami in three prefectures: Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima.

The projects have focused on education, fisheries, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.

As part of one of these projects to reconstruct the areas that witnessed widespread damage, a Qatar-funded school was set up in the Miyagi Prefecture.

The Onagawa Elementary and Junior High School in Onagawa City was officially inaugurated recently.

Qatar's Ambassador to Japan Hassan bin Mohamed Rafi Al Emadi joined the opening ceremony.

Members of the embassy including Minister Plenipotentiary Abdullah bin Jassim Al Ziyara and Second Secretary at the embassy Rashid bin Mubarak Al Khater accompanied the Ambassador on this occasion.

Onagawa Mayor Yoshiaki Suda, director of the city's education sector and several senior Onagawa government officials welcomed the Qatari dignitaries to the ceremony.

On the occasion, the Japanese officials expressed their thanks and appreciation for Qatar’s contribution to supporting the reconstruction efforts in the affected areas.

The mayor of Onagawa recognized Qatar’s efforts to stand with the Japanese people during the crisis and the kind humanitarian gesture of contributing to the reconstruction efforts in the areas affected by disasters.

The areas are gradually moving back to normalcy, the mayor said, thanking the contributions and achievements of QFF.

The school is of great importance to the residents of Onagawa and the surrounding areas, as 90 percent of the schools were destroyed by the disaster and many of them have not been rebuilt, the mayor underlined.

The Onagawa school will further consolidate the strong partnership between Qatar and Onagawa, he said, stressing that it will be keen to activate communication channels between students in Qatar and Onagawa to raise generations that work together to facilitate communication, cooperation and understanding between Japan and Qatar in future.

The Qatari embassy provided gifts, including stationery, school supplies, and souvenirs to all the 300 male and female students of the school.

QFF in Japan has contributed $10 million to the school project.

The school was built utilizing sophisticated technologies as a pioneering institution working to provide a high-quality educational environment.

The school has a special wing for Qatar that features posters and brochures on Qatari heritage and culture.

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Cover, Inline Images and Source: QNA