Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent a congratulatory message to Nikol Pashinyan on his appointment as Prime Minister of Armenia.

Abe said Armenia is a reliable partner of Japan and shares its fundamental values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and that the two countries have built close cooperation both in a bilateral format and in the international arena.

The Japanese PM expressed confidence that relations between the two countries have a great potential for further expansion and development.

"I hope that relations between Japan and Armenia and our peoples will further deepen and strengthen," he said.

President Armen Sarkissian on Monday, January 14 appointed Pashinyan in the post of the Armenian PM.

Pashinyan first came to power after leading a nationwide campaign to oust the former authorities.

Following months of peaceful protests, then PM and former President Serzh Sargsyan resigned, while the parliament elected Pashinyan as the country's new Prime Minister.

The National Assembly was then dissolved and new members of parliament were elected on December 9.