The year 2005 was the EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges, which also coincided with the Year of "Germany in Japan 2005/2006" held under the initiative of the Government of Germany (April 2005-March 2006). Through the synergy created by these two large-scale programs, Japanese and German cultures attracted much attention in Germany.

The EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges in Germany began with an exhibition of the architectural works of Kazunari Sakamoto "Houses—Poetics in the Ordinary" (Munich). This exhibition was held at the Pinakothek der Moderne and attracted great numbers of visitors day after day, especially students. On Japanese Day Duesseldorf / NRW, held in May, a range of programs were held introducing Japan to participants. In addition, many kinds of fireworks illuminated the sky during a 25-minute display, with around 1.2 million people taking in the beautiful fireworks. In June, a performance of the Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo Puppet Theater was held in Frankfurt am Main, and many German people in the audience were enthralled by the traditional Japanese puppet theater.

In the second half of the Year of Exchanges, the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival 2005 was held through July and August. Japan was the featured country at the festival (a first for an Asian nation), and taking as its theme, "Japan: An island of harmony," around 60 Japan-related concerts were held. In addition, the festival proved the perfect opportunity to introduce not only music but also traditional Japanese culture, such as through the performances of Noh dramas in Germany (Hamburg and Kiel) held concurrently with the festival. In December, at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, the Japanese-German joint production of Yotsuya Ghost Story, which was also part of the Year of Germany in Japan 2005/2006 program, was performed. This performance represents the success of both the EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges and the Year of Germany in Japan 2005/2006 programs, and more performances are planned in Germany and a number of other countries during 2006.

Building upon such successes, we intend to further promote programs of exchange between Japan and Germany, and between Japan and Europe in the future.