Press Releases
Foreign Minister Kishida to Visit Miyagi Prefecture
(“Local to Global” Project)
1. On November 23, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, will visit Miyagi Prefecture as part of a new initiative titled the “Local to Global” Project that aims to promote the attractiveness of regional areas of Japan worldwide.
2. In this project, Minister Kishida and other high-level officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will visit regional areas in Japan with foreign diplomats stationed in Japan to share the attractiveness of the regions, engage in dialogue with local people, and promote regional appeals to the world, with the aim of connecting Japan’s regional areas with the world and further vitalizing such areas.
3. During the visit to Miyagi Prefecture, Minister Kishida will participate in the symposium titled “Dialogue with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida: Delivering a Message to the World about the Attractiveness and the Strong Recovery of Tohoku.” Following the symposium, Minister Kishida will discuss with foreign and Japanese students how to highlight Tohoku’s attractiveness. Prior to the symposium, Minister Kishida will visit Matsushima Town, Miyagi. In Matsushima Town, Minister Kishida will participate in “Matsushima Oyster Festival in Isojima Island” and visit Zuiganji Temple together with several diplomats stationed in Japan, and share and promote regional attractions. In Sendai, Minister Kishida is scheduled to exchange views with local business people on how to promote the attractiveness of Tohoku and Miyagi to the world.
(Reference 1) Overview of the visit schedule
| November 23 | Depart Tokyo, arrive in Sendai | |
| Attend Matsushima Oyster Festival in Isojima Island | ||
| Visit Zuiganji Temple | ||
| Hold discussions with diplomats stationed in Japan | ||
| Exchange views with local business people and others | ||
| Attend the symposium “Dialogue with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida” | ||
| Attend the symposium “Dialogue with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida” | ||
| Hold discussions with foreign and Japanese students at Tohoku University | ||
| Depart Sendai, arrive in Tokyo |
(Reference 2) Symposium “Dialogue with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida: Delivering a Message to the World about the Attractiveness and the Strong Recovery of Tohoku” (announced by MOFA on November 8)
Applications for the symposium are being accepted through the MOFA web page through November 16 and by e-mail, fax and post.
(Reference 3) Discussion with foreign and Japanese students
A discussion with about 10 foreign and Japanese students at Tohoku University is planned.
(Reference 4) Matsushima Oyster Festival in Isojima Island
Held in Isojima, Isozaki District, Matsushima Town. This is the 10th anniversary of the festival. Miyagi Prefecture provided seed oysters to France in the late 1960s when France’s oyster farming industry suffered severe damage, and conversely France supplied Tohoku-based oyster farmers with resources after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
(Reference 5) Zuiganji Temple
Founded in 828 by Jikaku Daishi. Date Masamune’s family temple. Current structure built in 1609. Masamune completed it in five years.