Japan has awarded a Saudi Arabia citizen a special commendation for his work as an interpreter over several years that has helped to foster trust and ties between the two nations. The Foreign Minister’s Commendation was given to Omar Rashid Altamrah, a freelance interpreter, at a special reception hosted by Japan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Fumio Iwai at his residence in Riyadh recently. Altamrah studied the Japanese language at Waseda University under a program set up the Kingdom’s government. After his return to Saudi Arabia in 1990, Altamrah worked for several Japanese entities as an interpreter. In his speech, Iwai said that Altamrah had played a significant role in fostering relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia, including his role as interpreter during the visit of King Salman, then-governor of Riyadh, to Japan in 1998; and former prime minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the Kingdom in 2013. Iwai praised Altamrah for his extensive knowledge of Japan’s private companies and government entities, and said he had played a major role in promoting mutual trust and smooth negotiations between the countries. In his speech, Altamrah thanked Japan for the award and said he remained committed to fostering relations between the two nations. Iwai said that the two nations have continued to strengthen ties in energy, entertainment, healthcare and tourism, citing the discussions under Japan-Saudi Vision 2030, and the recent visits of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. Several businesspeople from Japan were present at the reception. • This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan