A bridge for the culture cooperation between Vietnam-Japan

Political, economic and commercial cooperation between Vietnam and Japan is increasing day by day. As a result, cultural exchanges between the two countries have had drastic development. The Japanese cultural exchange center in Vietnam is a bridge for the culture cooperation between the two countries.
At the Japan-Vietnam puppetry festival, reporters interviewed the director of the Japanese cultural exchange center in Vietnam, Takeji Yoshikawa.
* Can you introduce the Japan-Vietnam puppetry festival and Japanese traditional puppetry art?
The festival was cooperative effort by the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre and the Japan’s Sado island Puppetry Troupe. This was also an activity in the programme to support international art exchanges in 2009 by the Japanese Cultural Department.
The puppetry of Sado island in Japan’s Nigata province, began about 250 years ago and is a form of Japanese traditional art. It was recoginized as an important intangible national cultural heritage by the Japanese government in 1977.
Now, groups of puppetry are activating. This art is also performed in many places in the world.
* How do you assess the traditional puppetry of Vietnam?
This was the first time Japanese puppetry has been performed in Vietnam. Japanese artisans and audiences were impressed by Vietnam’s puppetry.
* What are activities of the Japanese cultural exchange center in Vietnam, especially regarding the Japan-Mekong exchange year 2009?
In the past, Japanese only knew Vietnam through the ao dai and pho, and Vietnamese know Japan associated with the kimono and cherry blossom. The two countries have many specific cultures which need to be introduced to each others. The Japanese cultural exchange center in Vietnam is a place for Vietnamese people to study and exchange culture with their Japanese counterparts.
The center will give support for Japanese cultural research, teaching the Japanese language in schools and universities in Vietnam, and cultural and sports exchanges.
In the framework of the Japan-Mekong exchange year 2009, and apart from the Japan-Vietnam puppetry festival, the center is organizing an exhibition of the 100 most modern product designs of Japan in Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh city. It reflects images of an applied industrial art in the daily culture of the Japanese people.
More than 100 product designs such as clothes, shoes, cosmetics, domestics and high technology products including hand computers, motors and motorbike are introduced at the exhibition. Through the activity, Vietnamese people can study more about the applied fine arts in general and outstanding features of Japanese modern fine art designs in particular.
* When will the center have activities to promote cultural understanding and exchanges between the two countries?
In November, a Japanese film festival in Vietnam will take place in Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh city. From December 2nd to 5th, the Kanto folklore group will visit and perform in Vietnam. A water puppetry troupe from Vietnam will also perform in Japan.
As scheduled, in 2009, there will be many cultural exchange programmes. The center hopes that these activities will promote cultural exchanges, and then strengthen cooperation relations between Vietnam and Japan.
Thank you very much!