Russian Junior Judo Team to Visit Japan

December 22, 2006

1. Russian students of Junior Judo Team invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will visit Japan from December 23 (Sat) to 29 (Fri) as a sports exchange program with Russia.
2. During their visit, they will participate in the International Youth Judo Tournament in Fukuoka 2006, which will be held in Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture, on December 25 (Mon), under the auspices of the Kyushu Judo Association, Sanix Sports Foundation, and the Nishi Nippon Shimbun.
3. This invitation based on the "Japan-Russia Action Plan" that was adopted between Japan and Russia in January 2003 has been carried out in order to enhance Japan-Russia exchange in the field of sports in cooperation with Mr. Yasuhiro Yamashita, Professor of Tokai University. Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, during his visit to Japan in November 2005, expressed appreciation for the invitation of the Russian Judo Teams to Professor Yamashita, and when the Judo Championship was held in St. Petersburg in March 2006.
4. Same as last year, students of the junior-high school from Beslan in the Republic of North Ossetia, where a terrorist attack broke out in September 2004, will also participate in the tournament.

Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)