Agriculture minister Costas Kadis on Monday met with the new Japanese ambassador Izumi Seki to discuss the planting of a Japanese cherry tree park in the mountain village of Kambos.

The cherry garden is set to be completed in 2022, with the intention of promoting it as a tourist destination, both for Japanese and other tourists.

The ambassador thanked the forestry department for its involvement in the project which included finding the right location – the village of Kambos which is famous for its cherries.

Seki also expressed the desire to officially open the park to the public during cherry blossom season when the trees will be in full bloom, or as part of the annual cherry festival held in Kambos in 2022.

Kadis and Seki agreed that the park’s inauguration would also be a great opportunity to celebrate six decades of diplomatic relations between Japan and Cyprus.