Public Diplomacy
Monthly Glocal News
November 2019
“Sanin-Sanyo” area fan meeting in Consulate-General in Shanghai
PR booths of Prefectures
Participants of the event
On September 21, the fan meeting of ”Sanin-Sanyo” area, the Prefectures, Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi was held to gain its recognition and to promote tourism at the Consulate-General in Shanghai. In this event, famous influencers introduced sightseeing spots in this area and explained how to enjoy them, and actively interacted with participants. The participants got excited over the raffle draw for local products of the area.
Exchanges with the Dominican Republic, evolved from pears
Harvest and tasting by the Director of the Agriculture Land Agency and the mayor of Constanza
The pear grown at the Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute of the Dominican Republic Agricultural Land Agency
Matsudo City, Chiba Pref., started exchanges with the Dominican Republic that began with pears in 2015. After the “Diplomats’ Study Tours” co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that year, the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to Japan requested the City to support the cultivation of Japanese pear in his country. In January 2018, they planted 25 “Aki Gold” seedlings at the Agricultural and Forestry Research Laboratory in Constanza, the Dominican Republic. Last October, five pears were harvested from three seedlings. Matsudo City has also become a Host Town for the Dominican Republic, evolved from this pear project.
“ARIGATO” Host Town for supporting reconstruction event in Los Angeles
Participants of the panel discussion
Introduction of local specialties of the participating cities
On September 25, "ARIGATO" Host Towns in Support of the Team USA -Toward and Beyond Tokyo 2020- was held at Japan House Los Angeles. Participants from Hanamaki City and Ofunato City in Iwate Prefecture as well as Kitakata City in Fukushima Prefecture participated in a panel discussion and expressed their gratitude for the support of the USA at the time of Great East Japan Earthquake, and also talked about their Host Town Initiative and attractiveness of the Cities.
In addition, high school baseball players from Hanamaki Higashi High School joined the event ahead of baseball’s revival as part of the Olympic programs in Tokyo 2020. Firefighters of rescue teams of both countries at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake also had moving reunion there.
Japanese garden restoration project in foreign countries : Stillwater City, US
With the staff of Stillwater City
Digging up rocks of the Japanese garden
In April, two Japanese gardens in Stillwater City, Oklahoma, U.S., were restored through the Japanese garden restoration projects of Ministry of Land, Infrastruction, Transport and Tourism in cooperation with MOFA. Japanese gardeners from Kameoka City, Kyoto, the sister city of Stillwater City, went there and restored the gardens, digging up the buried stones of Karesansui, garden without water, with the staff of Stillwater City.
Regional revitalization from the perspective of foreign people -vol.3- (“The power of telling the attractions of the region” by Mr. Chris Glenn)
Mr. Glenn’s speech
Mr. Chris Glenn, who is from Australia and actively and widely working as a radio DJ, TV talent, event MC and inbound tourism advisor, contributed an article “Regional Revitalization from the Viewpoint of Foreigners”.
Mr. Glenn is working to convey charms of Aichi Prefecture, where he is currently based, to the people living in the prefecture and help people take pride in their own city through lectures. He described Aichi’s attractiveness and explained what is important for giving a boost to inbound tourism.
Antenna Shop -vol.3- : TAU-Hiroshima Brand Shop
TAU-The Hiroshima Shop
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki Restaurant ’Koikoi’
You may think the word “Tau!” is a exclamation word in Japanese. Actually, “Tau” means “reach” in the Hiroshima dialect. The idea is to spread the appeal of Hiroshima to the whole country and the world and to become a base to increase the number of fans of Hiroshima. In addition to four restaurants and local special products such as Hiroshima Okonomiyaki, you can fully enjoy authentic Hiroshima from the 1st basement to the 3rd floor, including the fresh fish counter.
TAU! Reach out to Hiroshima in Tokyo!
Diplomats' Study Tour to Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Hagi pottery workshop
Hagi Castle Town
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Hagi City held a Diplomats' Study Tour to Hagi City for the diplomatic corps in Japan from September 26 to 27. In this tour, diplomats enjoyed Hagi pottery workshop and visited facilities related culture, history and industry of Hagi City. They deepened their understanding of Hagi pottery and Hagi in which the heroes of the Meiji Restoration grown up and made huge contribution to Japanese modernization.