Emperor’s Birthday Reception Friday 20 February 2026
2026/2/25
On Friday 20 February the Emperor’s Birthday Reception was held at the Consul General’s residence and was attended by many guests with connections to Japan, including Members of Parliament, Auckland Councilors and Local Board members and other local authorities, and members of the Auckland Consular Corps.
The ceremony featured both countries’ national anthems, speeches from Consul General MATSUI, the Minister of Internal Affairs and for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and Member of Parliament for Panmure-Otahuhu Jenny Salesa and a Kagami-biraki (sake barrel breaking) ceremony.
The reception was an opportunity to deepen friendship and exchanges at the various levels and also contribute to the promotion of further investment between Japan and New Zealand through a variety of Japanese culinary presentation by Official Chef Kitazono along with the local Japanese businesses, an Ikebana display on the stage, exhibitions of some companies (（Lion (Kirin Holdings Company Limited), Obayashi/Halcyon、TOYOTA NZ), booths with information about sister-city relations (Fukuoka city), Japanese tea tasting and Japanese sake tasting.
Please follow this link to see the Consul General’s speech.
The ceremony featured both countries’ national anthems, speeches from Consul General MATSUI, the Minister of Internal Affairs and for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and Member of Parliament for Panmure-Otahuhu Jenny Salesa and a Kagami-biraki (sake barrel breaking) ceremony.
The reception was an opportunity to deepen friendship and exchanges at the various levels and also contribute to the promotion of further investment between Japan and New Zealand through a variety of Japanese culinary presentation by Official Chef Kitazono along with the local Japanese businesses, an Ikebana display on the stage, exhibitions of some companies (（Lion (Kirin Holdings Company Limited), Obayashi/Halcyon、TOYOTA NZ), booths with information about sister-city relations (Fukuoka city), Japanese tea tasting and Japanese sake tasting.
Please follow this link to see the Consul General’s speech.
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| Consul General MATSUI | The Minister of Internal Affairs and for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden |
Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson | Member of Parliament for Panmure-Otahuhu, the Honorable Jenny Salesa |
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| Kagami Biraki | Venue | Japanese sake tasting | Japanese sake tasting |
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| Sister-city relations (Fukuoka city) | Exhibitions of companies | Japanese tea tasting | Prepared by Mr. Kitazono Chef for Consul General of Japan in Auckland |