JAPAN FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE

An impressive billboard greeted the audience

The great Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa was born in 1910. In 2010, “The 100th Anniversary Film Festival of Akira Kurosawa’s Birth” took place in Seoul and Pusan to commemorate the centennial. This is a traveling film festival that will appear in Asian countries and uses the Japan Foundation’s collection of new prints of Kurosawa’s films. The Japan Foundation, Seoul organized this event in Korea together with four co-organizers: Korean Film Archive; Film Forum; Public information and Cultural Center, Embassy of Japan in Korea; and Cinematheque Pusan. 23 films of the legendary filmmaker were shown from July 1 to August 29, including seven films that had never been shown in Korea before. It was the most extensive Kurosawa retrospective ever held in this country that attracted a huge audience.

Mr. Ahn Sung-ki, the most respected actor in Korea and many other Korean filmmakers, actors, and film critiques gathered to greet the special guests for this film festival: Mr. Tatsuya Nakadai, a leading Japanese actor who starred in “Yojinbo”, “Kagemusha” and “Ran”, and Ms. Teruyo Nogami, a scripter who has been working with Kurosawa since “Rashomon.” This attracted further public attention.

Special guests Mr. Nakadai and Ms. Nogami	Mr. Ahn Sung-ki greeted Mr. Nakadai and Ms. Nogami

Regarding the vitality of Kurosawa’s films, Mr. Nakadai said, “Mr. Kurosawa left us the films that are equally stimulating and thrilling to the audience five years, 100 years, and even 200 years later. I hope we can contribute to the world peace through the exchange of films between Japan and Korea.” Ms. Nogami added, “By wining the Golden Lion Prize at the Venice Film Festival, ‘Rashomon’ opened the door to the world for the Japanese films. The film had the power to give hope to Japanese people who lost hope and self-confidence after the defeat of Japan in World War II.” The audience enthusiastically asked them questions one after another.

Young audience queuing for Mr. Nakadai's autograph

The venue in Seoul was Korean Film Archive where the audience of 15,194 people in total was enraptured by Kurosawa’s films for 22 days, and all the seats were filled for 16 screenings, which was the record-breaking success for the Archive. This film festival thoroughly exhibited the vitality of Kurosawa’s films by attracting such a tremendous interest and sympathy among the young audience in Korea in a short period of time.

“The 100th Anniversary Film Festival of Akira Kurosawa’s Birth” will go on a tour in four Asian countries, namely Philippine, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia until March 2011 (the detailed schedule is TBD). A tidal wave of enthusiasm stirred up in Korea will sweep these countries.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Mike Mansfield once said, “The U.S.-Japan relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, bar none.” In this globalized world of the 21st century, the U.S. and Japan together are facing a vast number of global issues that require both countries to cooperate fully with each other, making the importance of this bilateral relation ever more significant.

Bearing this in mind, the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) launched a new program “U.S.-Japan Network for the Future” in collaboration with the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation to honor Ambassador Mansfield’s achievements and to engage various individuals from a broad spectrum of fields within U.S.-Japan exchange.

This two-year program targets Japan specialists in their early to mid-career stages who are expected to be involved in policy and opinion-making in the U.S. in the near future. Through an open competition, 15 specialists were selected; they are scholars and officials of NGOs, think-tanks, and the U.S. government with diverse expertise from all regions of the U.S.

Fellows and advisors gathered together at a visit to the Department of the Treasury

This program aims to offer them the opportunity to build a network of contacts in the field of policy-making in both U.S. and Japan as well as to deepen their understanding of the diverse issues common to our two countries, while building a close network amongst the participants themselves.

One of the program’s scheduled workshops was held in mid-June. Taking advantage of the Washington D.C. location, there were discussions with U.S. senior government officials and correspondents from Japanese media, visits to the Pentagon and the Department of the Treasury. In addition, training sessions were provided to enhance their ability to write persuasive op-ed pieces and to practice effective interviews techniques.

Participants will gather together again for a two-day retreat in Montana in October 2010 and a week-long Japan study trip in the spring of 2011. Through these activities and experiences they are expected to broaden their perspectives on the U.S.-Japan relationship and nurture friendship among themselves as future leaders who share a deep interest in Japan.

Outdoor screening of Japanese films attracted a large audience

On July 6 and 7, an event to introduce Japanese culture called “Un’isola del Giappone” took place on the Tiber Island (Isola Tiberina), a small island on the Tiber River in Rome. The organizers were : the Japan Cultural Institute in Rome, L’ISOLA del CINEMA, the Embassy of Japan in Italy,Fondazione Italia Giappone (Italia-Japan Foundation), JRO (Organization to P romote Japanese Restaurants A broad), and Hasegawa Saketen, each of them is engaging in propagating Japanese culture from various perspectives.

This was the second occasion following the first one in last year, at which Prime Minister at the time, Taro Aso who was visiting Italy for G8 Summit, participated in the opening ceremony. While the last year’s Un’isola del Giappone was limited to the invited guests, this year it was open to the public and 600 tickets for each day have been completely sold out, indicating Italians’ high interest in Japanese culture.

Outdoor screening of Japanese films attracted a large audience	The site crowded with visitors YAKITORI stall

This year’s Un’isola del Giappone opened on July 6 with the opening address by the Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, followed by a live performance of GIBIER du MARI, a band led by a Japanese actress and singer Mari Natsuki, and a screening of a film “Dear Doctor”. On July 7, a live performance of traditional Kagoshima dance, Japanese opera “Yuzuru”, and a screening of animation film “Summer Wars” were presented.
In addition, Japanese food and sake tasting time was provided on both days, attracting many visitors. It has been long since Japanese food became very popular in Italy, so the tasting time was a huge success. Stalls of Japanese restaurants lined up along the river, just like food stands at a summer festival in Japan. Some of Italian visitors wore Yukata, making people feel like they were actually visiting Japan, and such feeling added flavor to Japanese dishes, sake, and beer served at stalls.

Film screenings were also held outdoors, so the audience saw the films in pleasant night air. Both films received warm ovations from the audience at the end of screenings. Although it was already past midnight, the audience seemed content with the films and strolled along the river to go home.
These two nights were valuable occasion to experience the summer of Japan in Rome.