A Farewell to H.E. Shorna-Kay Richards, Jamaica’s Ambassador to Japan
In September 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador Shorna-Kay Richards assumed her post as Ambassador to Japan. Having now completed her term, she departed on January 2, 2026, boarding a flight for Kingston, Jamaica.
Ambassador Richards’s relationship with Japan is deep and long-standing, dating back to her first visit to the country 20 years ago. During that visit, she travelled to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, met with atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) and confronted the reality that Japan is the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings. It is said that at that moment she pledged in her heart to carry forward the hibakusha’s appeal that “no one should every suffer as they did” and to work for the abolition of nuclear weapons and for lasting peace.” Ambassador Richards subsequently served as Chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament, fulfilling that “pledge.” As Ambassador to Japan, she has steadily and faithfully pursued her mission based on that “pledge.”
Fostering the friendship between the two countries, known as the J-J Partnership, was crucial to Ambassador Richards’ mission. Based on her belief that “the essence of diplomacy lies in connections between people,” the strengthening of this partnership was faithfully executed and blossomed.
Ambassador Richards cherished the Japanese expression “ichigo ichie”— once-in-a-lifetime encounter which she learned in Japan, placing great importance on the singularity of each meeting with people.
To widely promote brand Jamaica in Japan, Ambassador Richards traveled throughout Japan, strengthening ties with sister cities and devoting herself wholeheartedly to building friendly relationships in new communities. She interacted with and encouraged young people throughout the country; she ran barefoot with children at kindergarten sports days, and shared heartfelt connections with them. She danced with Japanese people at summer festivals and worked diligently to introduce Jamaica’s music, reggae.
Jamaica’s most famous specialty product, Blue Mountain coffee, became Ambassador Richards’ most trusted “colleague”. Jamaica and Japan celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2024. However, long before that milestone, Blue Mountain coffee had already served as a “people’s ambassador,” nurturing deep trust and friendship between the two countries.
Every year on “Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day,” in January, Ambassador Richards expressed her gratitude to Japan by wearing a furisode kimono that incorporated the colours of the Jamaican flag, to show to the Japanese consumers. She also actively supported promotional efforts for Blue Mountain coffee sold at Seven-Eleven. Videos featuring Ambassador Richards promoting Blue Mountain coffee were shown in Seven-Eleven stores nationwide. It would not be an exaggeration to say that never before had Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee been consumed in Japan as much as during her tenure.
The further expansion and popularization of Jamaica’s signature cultural exports—reggae music and film—proved successful, and Jamaican rum, Jamaican cotton, and Jamaican cuisine, exemplified by jerk chicken, newly gained widespread acceptance in Japan. Jerk chicken was added to the menu at Matsuya restaurant chain, making it easily accessible across the country. Moreover, at Matsuya’s request, Ambassador Richards even served as a “one-day store manager” at the Matsuya Roppongi branch, standing at the storefront to assist with the promotion of their jerk chicken.
These diverse and demanding activities carried out by the ambassador were supported by the dedicated efforts and hard work of the staff of the Jamaican Embassy in Japan. It is clear that Ambassador Richards was an exemplary “boss” even within the embassy as well.
Among the Japanese words Ambassador Richards loved was arigatō— “thank you.” While it is a word expressing gratitude, its original meaning conveys “something so precious that it is more difficult to obtain.”
For both Jamaica and Japan, the presence of Ambassador Richards herself is what the word arigatō truly represents. The Japanese people will never forget this great ambassador who loved Japan and devoted herself wholeheartedly to diplomacy. We sincerely hope she will return to Japan again.
Read also
