The presence of an NU mosque in Japan will be able to better strengthen the unity of Indonesian citizens residing in Japan
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Ambassador to Japan Heri Akhmadi inaugurated the first Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) mosque in Koga city, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan on Tuesday.

The inauguration of the mosque, which coincided with Eid-al-Adha (Day of Sacrifice) celebrations, was accompanied by the launch of an Indonesian Community Learning Center (PKBM), the Japanese Embassy in Tokyo said in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Ambassador Akhmadi inaugurated the mosque and PKBM in the company of the embassy's education attaché, Yusli Wardiatno, and chief of the executive board of NU's special branch in Japan, Miftahul Huda.

While inaugurating the mosque and learning center, the ambassador said a good organization is one that defends its state and the NU has served as a good organization ever since Indonesia's independence struggle.

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"The presence of an NU mosque in Japan will be able to better strengthen the unity of Indonesian citizens residing in Japan, like KH Wahab Chasbullah's song Yaa Lal Wathan, which carries the spirit of love for the country. In fact, the song is very often sung at various NU events," he remarked.

While opening the Indonesian Community Learning Center at Takwa Mosque, he said: "In addition to serving as a place of worship, this mosque can also be used as a studying room. This is our effort to ensure that Indonesian men and women residing in Japan will not lose their national identity."

Meanwhile, NU's Huda lauded the ambassador for inaugurating the mosque and learning center in Japan.

The NU branch in Japan remains committed to uniting all groups of Indonesian citizens in the country, he remarked.

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Translator: Yuni Arisandy S, Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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