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Japan–Malta relations refers to bilateral foreign relations between Japan and Malta. Their diplomatic relations were established in 1965. Malta has a consulate in Tokyo. Japan has an Embassy to Malta, which is part of the Embassy of Japan in Rome, Italy, and a consulate in Valletta, Malta.
History
During the last two years of World War I, Japan played an important role in securing the sea lanes. Fourteen destroyers on anti-submarine convoy escort duty and their flagship cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy made Malta their homeport, but unfortunately, a Kaba-class destroyer Sakaki was torpedoed by the Austrian submarine U-27 and 68 crews lost their lives on June 11, 1917. Afterwards they were buried in Kalkara, Malta.
On September 21, 1964, the State of Malta, whose successor state is the modern-day Republic of Malta, was independent from the United Kingdom. In the next year, 1965, Japan established formal diplomatic relations with Malta.
In the beginning of 1989, on the occasion of the death and funeral of Hirohito, the 124th Emperor of Japan who had ruled for over 60 years until he died on January 7, Maltese Foreign Minister Ċensu Tabone and Private Secretary Adrian Camilleri flew from Valletta to Tokyo and Maltese Ambassador Victor J. Gauci flew from Canberra to Tokyo, to attend the Rites of Imperial Funeral at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on February 24.
In July 2006, Japanese Ex-prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu paid a courtesy call on Maltese President Eddie Fenech Adami in Valletta.