Cultural Exchanges
between Japan and Countries Visited
Cultural Exchanges with Latin American Countries
- For the last several years the Japan Foundation, Japan's core institution for cultural exchange, has been constantly increasing its commitment to projects targeting Latin American countries. The funding of such projects rose from about 550 million yen in fiscal 1992 to about 740 million yen in fiscal 1993 and about 760 million yen in fiscal 1994. The main emphasis is on Japanese language education and personal exchange (dispatch and reception of individuals and groups). In fiscal 1994 the former accounted for 32% of Foundation funding, the latter for 37%. Other projects include audiovisual media, exhibitions, book publishing, and performances.
- Many cultural exchange projects commemorated the 1995 centennial of friendship between Japan and Brazil. A variety of commemorative projects are also being planned for the 1997 centennial of Japanese emigration to Mexico and of friendship with Chile and the 1999 centennial of Japanese emigration to Peru. It is hoped that these projects will promote deeper understanding between these countries and Japan.
- Following are the major Japan Foundation cultural projects conducted since April 1994 vis-a-vis the four Latin American countries Prime Minister Hashimoto will visit.
Introduction of Japanese culture to Latin America
Opera "Yuzuru" - Brazil :
- Performances of Japanese drumming, an exhibition
of contemporary Japanese poster art, performances
of the opera Yuzuru (The Twilight Crane),
a program of Japanese silent films, participation
in the Sixth Sao Paulo International Short Film
Festival, provision of Japanese TV programs
including "A Video History of Japan's
Electronic Industry" to TV Cultura, donation
of teaching materials and books (71 cases) to
Japanese language education and Japanese studies
institutions.
- Mexico :
- Showing of videos of films directed by Akira
Kurosawa, performances of Japanese folk singing
and dance, an exhibition of Japanese dolls, an
exhibition of contemporary Japanese photography
titled "Space, Time, Memory,"
participation in the Seventeenth International
Book Fair in Mexico (Mexico City), donation of
teaching materials and books (21 cases) to
Japanese language education and Japanese studies
institutions
- Peru :
- A photography exhibition titled "The
Japanese," provision of the Japanese TV
program "The Sensitive Samurai" to
Canal 7 (public TV), donation of teaching
materials and books (16 cases) to Japanese
language education and Japanese studies
institutions
- Chile :
- Performances of Okinawan dance, a photography exhibition titled "The Japanese," provision of the Japanese TV program "Oshin" to Megavision, donation of teaching materials and books (3 cases) to Japanese language education and Japanese studies institutions, invitation of two secondary school teachers to Japan
Introduction of Latin American culture to Japan
Folk music concerts by the Mexican group "Grupo Jaranero"; performances by "Libre Club," a group with members from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay; a Brazilian exhibition on the life and culture of Amazonian Indians
Japan Foundation offices in Latin America
- Brazil
- Assessoria Cultural, Consulado Geral do Japao
- Avenida Paulista, 37, 2° andar
- CEP 01311-902, Sao Paulo SP, Brasil
- Telephone: 55 (11) 289-7281, 55 (11) 283-4921
- Facsimile: 55 (11) 284-2184
- Mexico
- The Japan Foundation Mexico Office
- A/C Embajada del Japon
- Paseo de la Reforma No. 395 (Apartado 5-101)
- Col. Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, D.F., Mexico
- Telephone: 52 (5) 511-2387
- Facsimile: 52 (5) 511-2387
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