Slovakia is a country with a population of around 5.3 million people that is situated in Central Europe. It boasts a beautiful landscape with the Danube River to the southwest and the Tatra Mountains to the north. This country is relatively new considering only 13 years have passed since Czechoslovakia split into two independent republics. Therefore, relations between Japan and the Slovak Republic should be intensified, with recent developments such as Slovakia's accession to the EU in May 2004 adding to the importance of this.

The working group for the EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges in Slovakia was established in October 2004. Its calling upon various civil groups to participate in the events resulted in a total of 23 wide-ranging events, starting with the photo exhibition in January as an opening event, followed by such events as the cultural exchange of buckwheat cooking, a concert by the all-female choir SAERA, Ikebana workshop, Japanese film festival, a bonsai and suiseki exhibition, performance by the Okinawa Song & Dance Theatre "CHURA," exhibition of Japanese contemporary silversmiths, opera performance of "Twilight Heron," origami workshop, and a Japan art exhibition. Many Slovak and Japanese people participated in these events and deepened their mutual understanding and sense of affinity.

For instance, the "Cultural Exchange of Buckwheat Cooking between Japan and Central Europe" was held in March. Members of non-profit organizations (NPOs) and high school students visited this event and held seminars on Japan's food culture related to buckwheat as well as "Soba" (Japanese noodle made from buckwheat) tasting. Dishes using buckwheat are also found in Slovakia and therefore, this event gave participants a feeling of kinship for each other in the sense that this event introduced the Japanese cuisine not only as exotic cuisine but also as similar cuisine using the same ingredients as in Slovakia. The event was indeed very successful.

The exchanges between Japan and Slovakia in 2005 have seen a sharp increase. The 2005 EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges is just a starting point for more active exchanges on a people-to-people level.