29 January 2004 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today congratulated the Japanese Embassy, the Japan Foundation Manila Office and various Filipino and Japanese organizations in Manila for organizing the Philippines-Japan Festival from 2 February to 4 March 2004.
 
“I foresee this festival to be a most effective and entertaining series of activities that will enhance cultural exchange between the Filipino and Japanese people.” Secretary Albert said. “It is with great enthusiasm that we look forward to the festival this year.”

According to Secretary Albert, since 1988 this festival has enabled the Japanese community in the country to work closely with the Filipinos with the objective of reinforcing RP-Japan relations. Last year the Philippines-Japan Festival integrated the ASEAN-Japan Exchange Year in its program of activities. The programs and activities aimed to strengthen ASEAN-Japan relations as open and sincere partners by realizing the basic principle of “acting together and advancing together”.

This year the festival will present an total of 34 cultural events, highlighted by the Okinawa Traditional Dance and Music performance on 24-25 February. Other events include Ikenobo’s 20th Anniversary Exhibition, Japanese film showing of, a lecture series by anime director Yasuhiro Imagawa, a Japanese speech contest, an Ikebana Seminar, a Japan Inspiration-Philippine Expression Art Exhibit, a Japan education seminar, Eiga Sai 2004, the Way of Tea, Rakugo in English, Panel Discussion on Global Exchanges in Philippine-Japan Relations, a video conference by JICA-Net, coaching for the boys baseball team and a mime performance and
workshop. END