Public Diplomacy

　On October 10 and 11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan conducted Diplomats’ Study Tour in collaboration with Fukushima Prefecture with the participation of 15 ambassadors and others from 13 countries. Under the theme of “Fukushima Revitalization Tour”, the participants visited facilities to deepen their understanding of the progress and current status of reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear disaster, hydrogen energy research, industry, tourism, food, and local products.

The friendship between Mitaka City in Tokyo and Chile began with astronomy. It took shape in March 2020 when Mitaka City was registered as a host town for Chile during the Tokyo 2020 Games, and an agreement was made with the Chilean Paralympic Committee regarding a pre-Games training camp. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, direct exchanges were not possible at that time. However, exchange was finally realized through the opportunity of the Paris Olympics held this year. This article introduces the details of the exchanges.

The exchange between Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture and Gabrovo City, Bulgaria, began when Toyoake City served the host town for Bulgaria during the Aichi Expo in 2005. Starting around 2017, the relationship deepened through exchanges between high school students and visits between the mayors, leading to the establishment of a sister city relationship in July of this year. On the day of the partnership, 10 junior and senior high school students from Toyoake City who are studying in Gabrovo for a short period participated in the "Japanese Culture Day," and promoted Japanese food and traditional culture and more.

Ms. Anchalee Pongpariyawan came to Japan from Songkhla Province in Thailand in December last year, as part of the “Friends from Thailand (FFT)”, international cooperation volunteer program organized by the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. She is currently working as a tourism coordinator in the tourism division of Hokuto City. This article introduces her activities in Japan and the attractions of the city.

Mölkky is a sport that originated in Finland and has recently gained popularity in Japan among people of all ages. In August 2024, the Mölkky World Championship was held in Hakodate, Hokkaido, where athletes from around the world, as well as from Hakodate and other parts of Japan, competed. The event provided a chance for participants to introduce their countries and regions to one another, fostering international exchange. In addition, booths were set up at the venue to introduce Finland, giving Hakodate residents the opportunity to learn about Finland's SDG initiatives, food, and culture.