Embassy of Japan in Canada

KAKEHASHI Project Participants from Japan Visit Ottawa

From March 4th to 11th, 12 Students from Japan’s Kobe University and GRIPS (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies) visited Canada as part of the KAKEHASHI Project exchange. On March 7th they visited the Embassy of Japan in Ottawa to learn about Japanese diplomacy in Canada.

Ambassador Monji gave a lecture to the students on the subject of ‘soft power.’ He recounted his own experiences on Japan’s public diplomacy in various oversea postings he has served including Iraq, Qatar and at UNESCO. He spoke about how the Japanese softpower such as culture and values can be utilised to promote diplomacy and good relations.

Ambassador Monji gives a lecture on softpower

A representative from GRIPS greets the Ambassador

Ambassador Monji speaks about the power of pop culture

Ambassador Monji and Kakehashi participants

In the evening of March 7th, the six students from Kobe University attended a reception hosted by Ambassador and Mrs. Monji at their residence. The KAKEHASHI Particpants from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, who visited Japan in December 2015, were also invited, as were the Canadian host families of the Japanese students.

Ambassador Monji expressed his thanks to the host families and Christine Nakamura of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, as well as his hope that both the Japanese and Candian KAKEHASHI particpants, “will become a bridge between Canada and Japan, fulfilling the purpose of the KAKEHASHI Project.”

Ambassador Monji opens the event

Miyu Konishi, representative of the Kobe students, talks about becoming a bridge between Canada and Japan

Kobe students perform the traditional So-ran Bushi dance

Christine Nakamura leads a toast

Guests enjoying Japanese food

Guests had a chance to sample sake from around Japan

Ambassador Monji and Mrs. Monji with the Kobe University Kakehashi participants