The Georgian Foreign Minister, Mr. Grigol Vashadze, paid a working visit to Japan from the 18th to the 21st of July 2012 to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Japan - a visit during which he held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Mr. Koichiro Gemba.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry wishes to express its deep grief over the sinking of a ferry in the Zanzibar Archipelago in Tanzania on the 18th July 2012. Official reports place the number of victims at 63 and many people are still missing.

A further round of bilateral political consultations was held between the Georgian and Italian foreign ministries on the 20th of July 2012.