Japanese UK ambassador sings Wales’ national anthem in Welsh, delighting crowds

9 January 2025, 14:46

Japanese ambassador to the UK sings Welsh national anthem

From the Land of the Rising Sun to the Land of Song... the Japanese ambassador delighted audiences on X, singing the famous hymn to Wales.

The Japanese ambassador to the United Kingdom has posted a charming video on X, singing the Welsh national anthem.

Hiroshi Suzuki – who was recently made the ambassador to the UK – was filmed in front of a map of the UK, holding both the Japanese and Welsh flags, plus a small red toy dragon, the symbol of Wales.

Suzuki sang the anthem ‘Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ – or ‘Land Of My Fathers’ in English – in the original Welsh language, which is notoriously hard to master and even more impressive for a Japanese native!

Read more: What are the English and Welsh lyrics to ‘Land Of My Fathers’?

Suzuki became the new UK ambassador late last year after previous postings as Japanese ambassador to India and Bhutan.

In a separate video posted on X, he said he was looking forward to travelling around the UK, including “enjoying many different fish and chips at many different pubs throughout the country”.

Japan has a tradition of loving music, with huge performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 taking place around the country every December. It is a popular touring destination, with orchestras from across the world frequently visiting the countries many world-class venues.