Japan-United States of America Relations

On March 18, in the morning, the participants of the 1st TOFU program attended an exchange event with a local Japanese Americans’ community and had lunch with them. The participants made presentations on various subjects such as Japanese school life, Japanese traditional plays, current trends in Japan as well as Okinawa’s culture (nourishment, Bingata, etc.), Okinawa’s resources in tourism and nature. One of the participants demonstrated Karate performance. The local Japanese Americans explained how they themselves or their families came to the United States as well as how their daily lives are in the United States nowadays. Furthermore, the participants taught the local students “Ka-Chah-Shi”, Okinawa’s traditional improvised dance and danced with them to deepen their exchange.

On March 19, in the morning, the participants of the 1st TOFU program had a meeting with Mr. Shigeki KOMATSUBARA, TICAD Program Advisor, African Affairs Bureau, United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Mr. Komatsubara explained his carrier so far as well as the roles of the United Nations, and gave advices to the participants, in a familiar way to the participants, on ideal attitudes to grow up to be able to play an active role in the international community. In response, the participants asked questions actively on problems with which Africa is confronted, the role to be played by Japan as well as the participants themselves for the development in Africa.

On March 19, in the morning, the participants of the 1st TOFU program made a courtesy call on Ms. Caroline KENNEDY, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, and exchanged views for approximately 80 minutes, with attendance of Ambassador Reiichiro TAKAHASHI, Consul General of Japan in New York.

Ambassador Kennedy, noting that the Japan-U.S. alliance is the most important alliance in the world, said that the roles played by young generations like the participants are essential to strengthen the alliance for the stability and the prosperity of East Asia in the 21st century. She also told that she herself had been always looking forward to exchange with Okinawa’s young locals while she was in Japan, and expressed her expectation on the participants in visit to the United States. In response, the participants asked questions actively on Ambassador Kennedy’s impression on Okinawa as well as the roles to be played by Okinawa’s young locals.

Furthermore, Ambassador Kennedy asked the participants what they would like to request vis-a-vis the U.S. side and the participants asked, from their part, what the U.S. side expects vis-a-vis Okinawa, and they exchanged views intensely on questions concerning the U.S. forces in Okinawa. In this context, Ambassador Kennedy said that the Japan-U.S. relationship offers many opportunities and that she expects the participants to make these opportunities move forward in positive way. She also hoped that more Japanese young people can visit the United States.

On March 19, in the afternoon, the participants of the 1st TOFU program participated in an exchange event with local students studying in the suburb of New York. The participants attended a poetry open mic (free-style presentation) organized by the local students and had a lunch with them.

The local students who have visited Japan shared their impression on Japan, and in response to that, the participants told their feeling during the visit to the United States via the TOFU program. They also expressed their intention to share the United States’ charms with their friends after going back to Japan. Furthermore, the participants introduced Okinawa’s fascination and exchanged views freely to deepen communication with the local students.

On March 19, in the afternoon, the participants of the 1st TOFU program visited the Japanese permanent mission to the United Nations and made a courtesy visit to Mr. Koro BESSHO, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United Nations to exchange view for approximately 30 minutes.

The participants, briefed on the roles of the United Nations as well as Japan’s roles in the international community by Ambassador Bessho, asked questions actively about the ways to aid the developing countries, the promotion of the women’s activities in the international community, the ways to cooperate with other countries on common issues in the international community, what they can do so that education of good quality can be diffused all over the world, etc.

Furthermore, the participants visited the headquarter of the United Nations, guided by its staff to observe the rooms for the General Assembly as well as the Security Council to learn the history and the current functions of the United Nations.