新年已至，谨向各位致以诚挚祝福。我已结束3年4个月的日本国驻上海总领事任期，于1月4日调任回国。
此次是我第五次在中国工作，也是第一次在上海工作。通过如此宝贵的机会，我多方位多层次学习了中国社会，近距离感受了常驻日侨、日资企业相关各位的干劲和热忱，且更为具体地把握了其面临的各种课题。再次对任期中诸位给予的莫大支持表示感谢。
此间，日中关系稳步改善，先后迎来了2017年邦交正常化45周年、2018年和平友好条约缔结40周年的重要节点年份。两国首脑实现相互正式访问，日中关系回到正常发展轨道，步入新的合作阶段。2019年大为期待习近平国家主席访日。能在日中交流最前线的上海详尽观察到这些景象，我深感幸运。
后任磯俣秋男总领事将于1月10日就任。请一如既往给予关照和帮助。
祝愿各位新年进步，诸事顺遂！
Dear all friends,
A Happy New Year!
I am writing to inform you that after three years and four months of my mission at the Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai, I left Shanghai for Tokyo on January 4.
Yukari and I have really enjoyed both our official and private life here in Shanghai. This was my fifth time to live in China, but the first living experience in Shanghai, which has indeed widened and deepened my understanding of the Chinese people, culture, life and society. At the same time, I have learned a lot about significant roles that Japanese people and companies play here as well as various challenges facing them. On this occasion, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who strongly supported the work of the Consulate General.
During my term, Japan-China relations have improved steadily. The year 2017 marked the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and in 2018 we have celebrated the 40th anniversary of peace and friendship treaty. Mutual official visits by both leaders were realized, thus bilateral relationship has got back on the normal track and entered a stage of new cooperation. We highly expect that President Xi Jinping will visit Japan at an appropriate time this year. I was lucky enough to observe such a positive trend of bilateral relations in Shanghai, the frontline of Japan-China exchanges.
On this occasion, Yukari and I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of you for your strong support and warm hospitality that you extended to us during our stay here. Our work and life here would not have been so smooth and pleasant without your help. We will really miss Shanghai.
My successor, Mr. Akio ISOMATA and his wife, Chieko ISOMATA who are going to arrive in Shanghai on January 10. I sincerely hope you will provide them with the same support that we enjoyed.
I wish you all the best in the new year! Thank you again, Xiexie and Doumo Arigatou Gozaimashita!
Sincerely yours,
Kazuyuki KATAYAMA
Former Consul-General of Japan in Shanghai
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