In Cyprus, which acceded to the EU on May 1, 2004, a variety of events were held for the EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges, including Japan Week (May 9-15, 2005). During Japan Week, a Japanese Modern Film Festival, Ikebana exhibition and Shodo demonstration were held. At the Japanese Modern Film Festival, six modern Japanese films including Postman Blue and A Laughing Frog were screened, bringing great pleasure to the people of Cyprus who usually have little opportunity to come in contact with modern Japanese cinema.

At the Ikebana exhibition, 30 Ikebana arrangements were displayed mainly by local Ikebana enthusiasts, delighting the eyes of dignitaries of the Government of Cyprus and large numbers of citizens. At the Shodo demonstration, the calligraphers Shuncho Suzuki and Hisako Shida visited from Japan and gave practical demonstrations, lectures and workshops on Shodo aimed at students studying art and design in Cyprus, to great acclaim.

In September, the Okinawa Song & Dance Theatre CHURA gave performances. Of performances initially planned to be held at two venues, the one in the city of Aglantzia had to be cancelled, as Cyprus wished to mourn the victims of the Cypriot Hermes aircraft disaster in August. In Nicosia, however, the performance was a resounding success, bringing performers and audience together as one.

In this manner, the 2005 EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges, coming after 45 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Cyprus, marked a new chapter in the history of exchanges between the two countries.