JAPAN FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE

 The Japan Foundation, Seoul (JFS) and Korean Film Archive (KoFA) co-hosted “OKINAWA SPECIAL” film screenings (Okinawa Film Festival) from mid-June to early July, 2009.

This film festival aimed to look at Okinawa from cinematic perspectives. Owing to its geographic and historic backgrounds, Okinawa has been the islands on the border, of U.S. military bases, of tourism, and of peace. Its history dated back to the era of Ryukyu Dynasty and then it was ruled as a part of Japan under the Shogunate system. After Japan defeated in the World War II, Okinawa was occupied by the U.S. military. It was 1972 when Okinawa was returned to Japan. Korea, on the other hand, had a long history of Joseon Dynasty before it was invaded by Japan, and after the World War II it was occupied by the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R. Under the Cold War, the peninsula was divided and it still is today. Because Okinawa and Korea have a lot in common geographically and historically, it was of great significance that an Okinawa film festival was held in Korea. It was one of rare occasions that such special screening was held outside Okinawa.

In this film festival, 18 new and old films were shown. Some were based on the wartime experiences of people in Okinawa and what they went through after the war. These films provided us valuable insights into the identity of Okinawa. Other films included those directed by Yuji Nakae who has been making films of Okinawa as well as those describing young people in Okinawa today. At an symposium entitled “What Are The Cinematic Identities of Okinawa?”, scholars and filmmakers from Japan and Korea discussed about Okinawa as the subject of geographical or historical researches as well as about the identities of Okinawa revealed in films.

The nature and culture of Okinawa have never ceased to fascinate us. We were wondering how Korean audience saw the society of Okinawa described in the films. These films and the symposium revealed the fact that Okinawa’s uniqueness lies not only in its culture and history but also in its role to raise various issues relevant to Korea, East Asia, and even to the world. We hope this film festival fostered interest and understanding of people of Korea in Okinawa and Japan.

 

The Japan Foundation, Mexico and Mexican Association of Japanese Language co-organized the Intensive Training Course for Japanese-Language Teachers 2009.

This annual event for Japanese-language teachers in Mexico started in 1999 and held every July for two days.

In the past couple of years, the course has mainly targeted inexperienced teachers. Last year, for example, the theme of the course was “How to conduct a Japanese-language class: from introduction to practice.” Participants of the course reviewed their class activities and created introduction and practices to promote motivation of learners.

The course of 2009 based on the results from last year and got back to the basic issues such as what is required for teaching elementary-level classes and what kind of classroom activities should be provided to students, under the theme of “How to create a teaching plan: To build basic skills of Japanese-language.”

As a lecturer, we invited Ms. Sachiko Miwa from Japan. This is her second lecture in Mexico; she taught in this intensive course in 2006.

The capacity of the course greatly expanded from that of last year to 40 participants, but the enrollment reached promptly to the maximum, proving the interest and enthusiasm of Japanese-language teachers. In addition to Mexico City, participants came from ten states nationwide, including Puebla, Veracruz, and as far as the northernmost Baja California. The number of non-native Japanese and that of native Japanese participants were equal, 20 to 20.

Participants were divided into several groups for activities and presentations, and they absorbed knowledge by creating specific teaching plans. In addition to the experience at this course, they also benefited from exchanging ideas and information with each other.

 

Photo: Japanisches Generalkonsulat Düsseldorf

Dusseldorf has the largest Japanese population in Germany, and holds annual “Japan Day” in early summer. This year, the eighth Japan Day was held in June and attracted 850,000 visitors in spite of adverse conditions such as closing of Japanese schools due to spread of the H1N1 virus. Co-organized by North Rhine-Westphalia State, Dusseldorf City, the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Japanischer Club, Japan Day is one of the greatest Japan-related events in the world.

A row of stalls along Rhine embankment stretched for over one kilometer, providing Japanese foods as well as demonstrations and tryouts of Japanese cultures and sports. At the outdoor stage in the central square, musicians, singers, drummers, and dancers performed one after another. One of the highlights was performance of Blendrums supported by the Japan Foundation. Blendrums is a group led by Japanese Taiko drummer Leonard Eto, and they displayed their prowess of drum, guitar and tap dance that enchanted the audience. In the pop-culture zone, thousands of young manga fans disguised as comic characters. Since most of characters in Japanese manga and anime had Western-style figures, such costumes just fit young German fans.

Photo: Japanisches Generalkonsulat Düsseldorf

To conclude the festivities, fireworks display was the greatest spectacle of all. Four thousands of pyrotechnic articles shipped from Japan were set off on the Rhine for almost half an hour, erupting in cheers from visitors admiring the fireworks.

People in the Rhineland love festivals and they seem to regard Japan Day as the second Carnival.