Jamaican-born Suzuki targets senior Japanese team

NIIGATA, Japan — Imagine a Jamaican-born person representing Japan’s national football team.

But there is at least one this newspaper knows about. His name his Masashi Suzuki, born in Montego Bay, St James, before his Japanese mother Marika Suzuki shipped off to her Far East home with her son.

During the Mexico FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2011, the Jamaica Observer had located the mother of Suzuki and carried a story with her telling how she came to Jamaica to work as a tour operator on the island’s enchanting north-west coast and fell in love with it.

That wasn’t the only thing she fell in love with. Marika met Masashi’s father, Robert Hamilton, and a romance blossomed in a picturesque part of Jamaica, and it was magic all the way.

Masashi’s mother, in the previous Observer story, told how her son was born at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, near Union Street, 20 years ago.

She has another son, Sho, by another Jamaican. He is about 15 years old now.

When the Observer caught up with Masashi at the Denka Big Swan Stadium, the home of his J-League club Albirex Niigata, he spoke little English and had to be helped through the brief interview by an interpreter.

But he recalled, more than anything else, his days playing along the Montego Bay coast, and one particular place brings back fond memories for the 6ft striker.

“I used to play on Doctor’s Cave Beach every day,” he said.

He has been back to Jamaica three times after initially leaving at six years old, but though he professes his love for the island, which sparked the romance that brought his parents together, his heart is clearly with Japan.

“I love Jamaica, but I love Japan too because it’s a beautiful country that is safe and there is little crime, plus they have good food here, good people and I love those things about Japan,” said Masashi after watching Japan defeat Jamaica‘s Reggae Boyz 1-0 in a friendly international in cool Niigata.

He thought the game was an entertaining affair, with both teams having their moments.

“I think it was a very nice game as both teams had chances to score… I also think the Jamaicans can play… I remember playing against them for Japan at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico, and I think that was interesting in a game with the countries of both my parents,” Masashi noted.

The player is highly thought of and is viewed as a future prospect for Japan. In a game-day magazine, he was featured along with the likes of AC Milan’s Keisuke Honda, Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa and FSV Mainz’s Shinji Okazaki.

“I am currently in the Olympic team and that’s the level before you go to the senior team, so I am looking forward to that,” he said.

So far this season for his club, Masashi has scored two goals, but has set his sights on more goals and also a possible move to Europe in the future. “I have scored two goals so far this season and I am looking to score more… yes, I would love to go and play in Europe, especially in England where I think the soccer there is so fantastic,” Masashi ended.

– Sean Williams

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Jamaican-born Suzuki targets senior Japanese team

Japanese prime minister meets with CARICOM leaders today

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Monday July 28, 2014, CMC – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday began an official two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago holding talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar.

A statement issued afterwards said that the two leaders had discussed a wide range of issues including possible Japanese investment in the oil-rich twin island Republic and the possibility of Port-of-Spain opening an embassy in Tokyo.

Abe, whose first ever visit here forms part of his trip to Latin America and the Caribbean, will meet with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on Monday for talks that the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said would include areas such as climate change, technical cooperation, trade and investment.

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The CARICOM Secretariat said that the half-day summit is also expected to provide an opportunity for discussions on the upcoming Third United Nations Conference on Small Island States to be held in Samoa in September.

“The summit provides a timely opportunity to advance CARICOM’s priorities in these areas and for fostering solidarity between CARICOM and Japan,” the statement said.

Abe, who was met on arrival by Foreign Minister Winston Dookeran, expressed his gratitude to the Trinidad and Tobago government for its decision to waive entry visa requirements for Japanese nationals coming here to conduct business for a maximum period of 90 days.

According to the statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, the two government leaders discussed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which establishes international standards for the movement of conventional arms and ammunition across borders. Both Japan and Trinidad and Tobago signed the treaty in 2013.

“In the meeting, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar sought the support of the Japanese Government to support Trinidad and Tobago’s bid to host the ATT Secretariat,” the statement said, adding that Port of Spain has also “recognised Japan’s and Trinidad and Tobago’s bid for non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.”

The statement noted that during the discussions, Prime Minister Abe raised the matter of deepening bilateral relations and requested that Trinidad and Tobago consider opening an embassy in Tokyo.

“The Prime Minister promised to immediately engage in discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this issue.

“Discussions between the two Prime Ministers also focused on Trinidad and Tobago as an attractive destination for trade and investment; in particular, the recent launch of the Tamana Intech Park, the first science and technology park in the Caribbean.”

Prime Minister Persad Bissessar is encouraging Japanese firms to take up residency, particularly firms involved in the areas of ICTs, Clean Technologies, and Agro-processing.

The statement said that the Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications, Vasant Bharath, would pursue discussions with relevant members of the delegation during their stay.

“The Japanese Prime Minister agreed to consider further areas of cooperation in such ventures,” the statement said, quoting Prime Minister Persad Bissessar as noting the “positive impact on the South-Western peninsula with regard to job creation by the introduction of the dimethyl ether (DME) Project, which has been established by the Massy Group, the Mitsubishi Corporation, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical”.

The US$850 million project is situated at la Brea, south of here.

The statement said that Japan would also host the fourth Japan/CARICOM Foreign Ministers Forum. It gave no date.

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Japanese prime minister meets with CARICOM leaders today