Sylff News

Historian Evgeniy Kandilarov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” 2003), who is currently a visiting professor at Sophia University in Tokyo, was a featured speaker at a March 19 event celebrating the Japanese translation of his book detailing over a century of Japan-Bulgarian exchange and friendship.

The book, originally published in Bulgarian in 2019 as Bulgaria and Japan: Politics, Diplomacy, Personalities, and Events, was co-authored by Kandilarov and career diplomat Vera Vutova-Stefanova. It details the very long and surprisingly rich history of bilateral ties, which officially began in 1909, just one year after Bulgaria’s independence from the Ottoman Empire. The relationship continued to evolve even during the Cold War.

The cover of the Japanese translation of Kandilarov’s book.

“EXPO ’70 in Osaka was a major factor in strengthening the postwar relationship, despite differences in the two countries’ political systems,” Kandilarov noted. “Prime Minister Todor Zhivkov became the first East Bloc leader to visit the Expo site and meet with Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. Bulgarians saw Japan as a technologically and economically advanced country, and many Expo visitors were highly impressed with the large-scale Bulgarian pavilion,” an exhibition that some argue contributed to the popularization of Bulgarian yogurt in Japan.

“By the mid-1970s, major Japanese trading houses and manufacturers like Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui & Co., and Fujitsu had set up offices in Bulgaria,” he added. “The decade of deepening friendship culminated in an October 1979 visit to Bulgaria by then Crown Prince [now Emperor Emeritus] Akihito.”

Despite the geographical distance and apparent differences between the two countries, some writers in Japan have described Bulgarians as the “Japanese of the Balkans.” This affinity may stem from a feeling that both people are not only hardworking but also excellent soldiers and fearless fighters.

The book-launch event took place at the Diplomatic Archives Exhibition Room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It was organized by the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo with the support of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan-Bulgaria Society.

Evgeniy Kandilarov makes a presentation as Bulgarian Ambassador Arabadjieva, right, and Diplomatic Archives Director Yamamoto look on.

Other noted speakers included Bulgarian Ambassador to Japan Marieta Arabadjieva, Diplomatic Archives Director Hideaki Yamamoto, Bulgarian history expert Junko Sugahara who translated the book into Japanese, and Director General Akiko Igaya of the Japan-Bulgaria Society.

In recognition of his academic achievements and his role in fostering deeper understanding between Japan and Bulgaria, Kandilarov was awarded a Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation during a ceremony at Sofia University in April 2023. He had previously received a Certificate of Honor from the Japanese Ambassador in September 2015 for his contributions to introducing Japan in Bulgaria as a researcher, lecturer, and author.