North America
Courtesy Call on Special Advisor to the Prime Minister OUE by the Winners of Japanese language speech contests ,Japanese language learners and the Winners of the National Japan Bowl
On February 17, commencing at 3:00 p.m. for approximately 35 minutes, Mr. OUE Sadamasa, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, received a courtesy call from the Winners of Japanese language speech contests, Japanese language learners and the Winners of the National Japan Bowl, who are invited to Japan through the Kakehashi Project, one of the Japan’s Friendship Ties Programs. A summary of the courtesy call is as follows:
- At the outset, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister OUE welcomed the group, and expressed his pleasure that they were studying Japanese language and culture. He stated that the foundation of relations between nations lies in the bonds between people, and expressed his hope that this visit would deepen their understanding of Japan.
- Special Advisor OUE expressed his hope that through their visit to Aichi Prefecture, cultural experiences, and homestays during this visit to Japan, the group would deepen their understanding of Japan. He further expressed his expectation that they would continue to contribute as a “bridge” connecting Japan and the United States, and Japan and Canada, even after returning home.
- The group expressed their gratitude for the invitation and for the kind and warm welcome extended by the Japanese people, sharing their impressions of this visit to Japan. They also posed Special Advisor OUE questions regarding Japan's disaster response and Japan-Canada relations.
(Reference1) KAKEHASHI Project
The purpose of KAKEHASHI Project is to increase the interest in and understanding of Japan among outstanding young leaders in the North American region. By having them engage in activities that make the most of their visit experience, it aims to foster supporters and experts of Japan. The project promotes participants' understanding of Japan's politics, economy, society, culture, history, and foreign policy in accordance with their areas of expertise and interest and enhances their external communication about Japan.
(Reference2) The National Japan Bowl
The National Japan Bowl is a national quiz tournament for American high school students who are studying Japanese as a foreign language. Since its inception in 1992, the National Japan Bowl has been held jointly by the Embassy of Japan in the U.S. and the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C. Since 2018, the National Japan Bowl in Canada has been held annually in two locations: Ontario and British Columbia, with support from the Consulate General in Toronto and the Consulate General in Vancouver.