Welcome Remarks by Consul-General Hidenobu Sobashima at Japan Festival on 19 May 2013
Councillor Andrew Munroe, Mayor and other Councillors of the City of Whitehorse,
Mr Srinivasan, Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission,
Mr Kenji Ono, President of the Japanese Society of Melbourne,
Mr Tony Preston, President of the Japan Club of Victoria,
Mr Minoru Nagashima, Chairperson of the Japan Festival Organising Committee,
Sponsors, Supporters and Volunteers for this Festival,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Boys and Girls,
Good morning.
I appreciate this opportunity to say a few words at the opening of the 2013 Japan Festival, that is one of the biggest Japanese cultural events in Australia.
In connection with the ranking of the Greater Melbourne as the world’s most liveable city for the second year running, I have repeatedly said on various occasions including last year’s Festival here that perhaps the activities of Japanese companies with their Australian partners and the cultural programs organized by Japanese residents with the participation of Australians here are also contributing to this liveability, that is the world’s best, economically and culturally, in this multicultural society.
This Festival is a good example of such contributions.
Thus I would like to extend my sincere appreciation particularly to the City of Whitehorse, the Box Hill Institute, and the Victorian Multicultural Commission, among other sponsors and supporters, for their continued support, and to the members of the Japan Festival Organising Committee and as many as about 200 volunteers for bringing this event together.
This Festival supports the affected people of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami for the third year, building upon the contributions, among others, of the many organizations and individuals present here today.
I should like to avail myself of this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude once again to the Federal, State and local governments and people of Australia, including Japanese residents here for their sincere sympathy and massive support.
For your information, Tokyo has put forward its candidature for the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
If the games will be held in Tokyo, that will further encourage the people in the affected areas in particular, and the Japanese people in general, and Japan will take that opportunity to thank once again the participating countries and territories.
The City of Whitehorse has the sister city relationship with the City of Matsudo in Chiba Prefecture of Japan for 42 years, the longest between Victoria and Japan.
As mentioned by the Mayor, earlier this month, with Mayor Munroe and other Councillors, I attended the Matsudo Week concert and the Green Tree Day Ceremonies. Now we have this Japan Festival.
Between Victoria and Japan, since last year’s Japan Festival, we have witnessed a lot of high-level visits and exchanges such as those by a number of Victorian Parliamentarians including both the President and the Speaker to Japan, and a number of Members of the Japanese Diet and the Aichi Governor to Victoria.
The first-ever full-fledged gallery of Japanese arts was opened in the NGV.
In parallel with the release of the White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century by the Government of Australia, a biannual Conference of the National Federation of the Australia Japan Societies and the National Symposium of Australian Teachers of Japanese were held in Melbourne with the participants from all over Australia.
With the implementation of the Asian Century White Paper, I hope we will witness more developments between Australia and Japan and Victoria and Japan in the coming year.
Today we will view performances of Japanese drums, Shamisen and other instruments, songs, dances, and martial arts, as well as contests of kimono, cosplayers and drawings, among others.
The exhibits here include tea ceremony, Ikebana, Bonsai, Shogi, Go, origami, and Anime goods.
The Consulate-General also has exhibitions this year.
Of course, there are stalls of yakitori, yakisoba and other Japanese food items and Japanese crafts, among others.
So I hope that you will all enjoy this Festival.
I will enjoy, too.
Thank you.