Japan Festival CANADA 2017
On August 26 and 27, Ambassador Monji visited Mississauga, Ontario to participate in Japan Festival CANADA 2017, Canada’s largest Japanese culture event. Held for the first time in 2016, this event offered Japanese festival related booths, including food booths, as well as booths of Japanese companies in Canada. According to the organizer of the event, this year over 700,000 people visited the event over the course of two days and enjoyed many stage performances, including guest performers from Japan.
The Opening Ceremony was held on the first day from 1 p.m. Following the President of Japan Expo Canada and organizer of the event Mr. Terry Wakasa’s remarks, other guests including the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, and Ambassador Monji delivered their remarks.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Monji noted both the 150th Anniversary of Confederation of Canada this year and the upcoming 90th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada in 2018. He praised the organizers for holding this event, which facilitates person-to-person exchange and strengthens friendly relations between Japanese and Canadian people.
Furthermore, Mr. Bob Delaney, member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and Mr. Yasunobu Suzuki, advisor of NTN Corporation delivered remarks. There was also a video message from Ms. Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga. They all expressed their admiration for the good relationships between Japan and Canada and the success of the festival. The Opening Ceremony concluded with the breaking of a sake barrel, “Kagami Biraki.” This ceremony is often performed in Japan to celebrate the start of a new endeavour in life or business. Then Consul-General Nakayama introduced the festival’s special guests, the band Monkey Majik, who performed after the ceremony.
The Honourable Navdeep Singh Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development also visited the festival and met with Ambassador Monji to discuss cooperative relations between Japan and Canada.
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Mr. Wakasa, President of Japan Expo Canada |
Minister Kirsty Duncan |
Ambassador Monji |  |
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From left: Ambassador Monji, Mr. Delaney, MPP, Consul-General Nakayama |
Kagami Biraki ceremony |
Audience |
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Monkey Majik |
Stage performances |
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| Various vendors and booths |
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Ambassador Monji and Minister Kirsty Duncan |
Minister Navdeep Singh Bains and Ambassador Monji |
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