The president’s speech for the luncheon at the Netherlands Embassy in Tokyo

April 17, 2012 at The Netherlands Embassy hostage

Hello, everyone.

I am Hiroshi Nakamura from Japan Flower bulb Traders’ Association. I would like to say my best thanks as one of the participants from Japan’s side of this party.

Today, Dr. Philip de Heer, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Japan, and all the people in the embassy, we thank you very much for inviting us to such a wonderful party. All of us are honored to be here.

We, bulb industry of both Japan and the Netherlands presented tulip bulbs to this embassy last year. I suppose it might be the beginning of this party.
We are deeply moved to see that our bulbs have been taken care and grew up so beautifully like this.

The flower language of tulip is “love”. Since the great earthquake, many flower bulbs and young plants were planted in many places following “Power of Flower Project”. We believe that the flowers will heal the earthquake victims, and nurture love and hope.

By the way, the Ambassador once said to us;

“Tulips and lilies are high-tech products which need the development of new varieties and improvements of quality continuously to seduce the consumers to keep on buying them. Marketing is also needed to know what the customers want. Innovation is always important for the future development and growth of flower bulb industries.”

We believe that it will also become more development of the relationship between Japan and the Netherlands which has continued for more than 5 centuries, and we can requite the Ambassador’s kindness.

Again, thank you very much for having us today.