Public Diplomacy

The name ‘Haiti’ is pronounced "Aiti" in its official language, which is similar to the sound "Aichi" Prefecture by chance.
This similarity led to the Host Town registration of Haiti by Kota Town, Aichi Prefecture. Haiti encountered a series of national crisis such as the assassination of the Haitian President in July 2021, just prior to the Tokyo 2020 games, and the Haiti Earthquake in August 2021. Kota Town has always cared about and supported Haiti. For example, the officials and the residents in the Town joined in an online exchange event for welcoming the Haitian athletes on July 14th. In the beginning of the event, all of attendees observed a moment of silence in honor of the late Mr. Moïse, former Haitian President. After the friendly exchanges between attendees and the performance of beautiful songs, the attendees from Kota Town started to raise “Allez! Haïti! (Do! Haiti!)”, cheering message to Haitian athletes. Kota Town has set up donation boxes in the town hall immediately after the Haiti Earthquake. After the Tokyo 2020 games, the Town is going to hold an art exhibition with Haitian art selection later this year. The relationship built through the Host Town Initiative will keep lasting.

The beginning of exchanges between two cities dates back in 1992 when some citizens of Miyakonojo City visited Mongolia.
There, they found nomads and children living only with a candle light, and wanted to bring light to them. After they went back to Japan, they established a small organization which made and sent wind power generators for Mongolia. These actions have continued for years and years. Based on these efforts of the organization, Miyakonojo City and Ulaanbaatar established sister city relationship in 1999.
Now, the exchanges between two cities have been deepened and developed in different levels. For example, Miyakonojo City sent carefully used second-hand Japanese school satchels to the orphanages in Ulaanbaatar which were facing on the many difficulties caused by COVID-19.
The relationship started from the warm tenderness will be developed further!

Maizuru City has become a Host Town of Uzbekistan baced on “a special bond of　the repatriation” after the WWII. The residents of Maizuru City have promoted various exchanges in the fields of sports, culture and civil activities with Uzbek people, and deepen its understanding on Uzbek culture through visiting the country, holding exhibitions on Uzbek culture and theater performances by Uzbek artists.
Furthermore, Maizuru City has established subsidy systems for those who go to study abroad to acquire industrial skills, as well as the long-term care workers to work in the City. In addition, the City provides various supports such as tea cultivation technical cooperation. Such a wide range of cooperations contributes much to the development of human resources and the creation of new industries in Uzbekistan.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) has implemented the personnel exchange program with local governments of Japan over the past years.
In this program, officials from local governments work first at MOFA in Tokyo as OJT, then are appointed to the Japanese Embassies or Consulates abroad for several years. On September 7, 2021, 21 trainees currently working at MOFA took lectures by UNU-IAS on the theme of "United Nations University and Sustainable Development".
They learned about global issues such as SDGs, waste management, climate change and ESD (Education for a Sustainable Society). It was a very meaningful opportunity for them to think globally and locally.

Traditional Japanese paper “Mino Washi” is one of the representative traditional crafts of Gifu Prefecture. The fact that the “Mino Washi” is the oldest existing paper in Japan preserved at the Shosoin Repository in Nara is also this ‘Mino Washi’ shows how this paper has an extremely long history. The excellent quality that combines delicacy and toughness with the beauty of watermarks has been highly evaluated overseas. It was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014, and was used as a certificate of commendation given to the 1st to 8th place winners at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. It is worth checking the charms of aesthetic Mino Washi!

Nara’s official brand shop namely "Nara Mahoroba-kan" was relocated from Nihonbashi to Shinbashi and renewably opened! You may be fascinated by its stylish appearance once you step into the shop. You will also find a high-quality, sophisticated space, as if you were in Nara, with a dark red color reminiscent of the 6th and 8th centuries during the Asuka and Nara periods.
Why don't you put yourself in such an unusual space feeling exceptional "Nara time" ? You will find good old and new things there, and will also feel the deep taste of Nara. Enjoy feeling "Nara color" even in Tokyo!

Quokkas are always smiling. Quokkas are the happiest animals in the world!
The tweet about Quokkas in Saitama Children's Zoo Park gained the most attention this month. They were gifted by the Featherdale Wildlife Park in Australia in the occasion of the 40th opening anniversary of the Zoo Park in March 2020. Saitama Children's Zoo Park is the only place where we can meet Quokkas outside of Australia. Saitama Prefecture and Queensland in Australia also became sister cities in 1984.
Why don't you go to Saitama Children's Zoo Park to meet Quokkas, a lovely ambassador which is similar to a small kangaroo eating undergrowth?