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Kick-Off Reception for the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation (Overview)

February 2013
Japanese

On 18 January (Friday), Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) co-hosted a kick-off reception in Jakarta, Indonesia to commemorate the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

The reception was a great success. It was attended by over 370 people, including H.E. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN and the permanent representatives of the 10 ASEAN Member States. H.E. Mr. Kimihiro Ishikane, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, read a message on behalf of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had to cut short his itinerary in Indonesia to respond to the hostage crisis in Algeria. Mr. Abe had planned to mark the 40th anniversary by delivering a speech on strengthening ASEAN-Japan relations.

Exchanges between ASEAN and Japan began in 1973 with the establishment of a ASEAN-Japan forum on synthetic rubber. At the ASEAN-Japan Summit in November 2012, the leaders agreed to organize a series of commemorative events in both Japan and ASEAN countries throughout 2013. In December this year, Japan will host the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit.

This reception was designed as an opportunity to launch the 40th anniversary at home and abroad and strengthen the partnership between ASEAN and Japan.

Taking this opportunity, Japan organized the following events as part of the Japan Brand Promotion Programme with three major objectives: (i) expressing its gratitude for the support offered in its post-disaster reconstruction efforts, (ii) advertising the appeal of the Tohoku Region as it recovers from the disaster, and (iii) promoting exchanges between Japan and ASEAN.

1. Events at the Kick-Off Reception (January 18)

Among others, the events included the performance of a song written to bring together the hopes and wishes of the Tohoku Region for the future. The performance was given by the Fukushima Prefectural Asaka Reimei High School Chorus Club and the University of Indonesia Choir. A live Internet broadcast featuring people from ASEAN who studied in Japan and have some connection with the Tohoku Region was presented. In the reception hall, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan set up a booth designed to promote the Tohoku Region’s allure and reconstruction process with the participation of the prefectural governments of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima. It also set up a tourism booth in cooperation with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

A live Internet broadcast by people from ASEAN who studied in Tohoku

Participants in the ASEAN Youth Caravan of Goodwill

Chorus performances of “Tomorrow -Love Song-”
Members of the Asaka Reimei High School Choir (left) and the University of Indonesia Choir (right)

Iwate Prefecture: A LEGO model of the Golden Hall of Chuson-ji Temple; a lesson in making paper cranes

Miyagi Prefecture: Tanabata streamers; writing messages on a colored strip of paper

Fukushima Prefecture: Tsurugajo Castle and cherry blossoms; leaving messages on Akabeko and filling in an eye on a Shirakawa Daruma doll

(1) Stage programme

(i) Introduction of successful examples of the ASEAN-Japan exchange

A live Internet broadcast, linking Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, was presented with the help of people from ASEAN who studied in the Tohoku region of Japan. An ex-student from Indonesia was invited to the reception hall to join those in Thailand and Malysia to talk about their experiences in Japan and expectations for future ASEAN-Japan relations.

(ii) ASEAN Youth Caravan of Goodwill

The activities of the ASEAN Youth Caravan of Goodwill, which visited Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture last June were introduced, with a few words from some members.

(iii) Chorus performance of "Tomorrow -Love Song-"

This song is designed to bring together the hopes and wishes of people in the Tohoku Region for the future. The Japanese lyrics were written by the Asaka Reimei High School Chorus Club in hope of further development of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, with the official theme “Thoughts Connected, Future Connected” in mind. (The accompaniment was played by Unit Asia, a jazz band made up of people from Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. Isao Miyoshi, a band member, composed the music.)

In the reception hall, the Japanese version was sung by the Asaka Reimei High School Chorus Club. The English version, written by Horngyih Wong, was sung by the University of Indonesia Choir. Their beautiful choruses filled the hall, charming many of the attendees. Some said they empathized with the lyrics. Others said they were moved by the beautiful singing.

(2) Exhibition in the hall

In the reception hall, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan set up booths designed to promote the appeal of the Tohoku Region with the participation of the prefectural governments of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima. These booths featured an exhibition of photographs depicting the reconstruction process, those for tourism promotion, and local handicrafts, as well as sections for tasting local specialties from each prefecture and those for hands-on experience. The Ministry also set up other booths in cooperation with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Attendees listened intently to the explanations given by the representatives of each prefecture, tasted various food, confectionery, and local sake from Tohoku and enjoyed the exhibition of handicrafts from each prefecture. Through these activities, attendees gained a better appreciation of the charm and vibrancy of Tohoku.

2. Exhibition: TOHOKU Experience (January 12-27)

The TOHOKU Experience exhibition, which took place at a shopping mall in Jakarta, featured, among other things, a large photo panel depicting Takizakura, a cascade-like cherry tree in full bloom, in Miharu Town, Fukushima Prefecture. This photo was presented by Sunao Kurashima, a landscape designer who engages in cherry tree planting in Japan and abroad. It is one of the many pictures of cherry blossoms taken in Fukushima and Miyagi when he visited disaster-hit areas in Tohoku.

The Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefecture sections exhibited panels showing the reconstruction process as well as local handicrafts. Brochures were also made available. The tourism promotion booth set up in cooperation with JNTO showed videos introducing tourist attractions in Japan and distributed tourism-related brochures.

More than 8,880 people visited the exhibition during the 16-day period.

3. Facebook page

The Ministry opened a Facebook page titled Tohoku Experience: 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation to promote the program and the charm of Tohoku and encourage exchanges between ASEAN and Japan.

www.facebook.com/ASEAN.Japan.40th (other site)

4. Documentary

The Ministry made a documentary featuring these activities conducted at the Kick-Off Reception of the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation as part of the Japan Brand Integrated Promotion Programme.

TOHOKU Experience (Youtube Video) (other site)

5. Tomorrow -Love Song-

The Ministry made a promotional video showing the making of “Tomorrow -Love Song-”, a song performed at the Kick-Off Reception, as a video for supporting reconstruction efforts.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C96KtClyHU (other site)

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