My name is Toshiki Ando. I was assigned to the director of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam at the end March, as a successor to Kazumi Inami.
The Japan Foundation was established in October 1972 as a Japanese government affiliated organization with the objective of promoting cultural exchange between Japan and other countries through comprehensive range of programs in all regions of the world. With a global network consisting of 22 overseas offices in 21 countries, the Japan Foundation operates programs in partnership with other organizations in and outside Japan, with a focus on three major fields: arts and cultural exchange, Japanese-language education overseas, and Japanese studies and intellectual exchange. The Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam has been promoting cultural exchange activities in the above-mentioned three fields in Vietnam since its establishment in March 2008.
Of course, historically, we see interesting examples of trade and exchange between Vietnam and Japan such as the old Japanese town in Hoi An, but recently, relationship between the two countries has become more dynamic and more diverse in many aspects as Vietnam has economically developed and played an important role in the global society. For instance, the number of Japanese companies operating in Vietnam has been increasing, and the number of the Vietnamese students heading to Japan is increasing year by year. I am very glad to be engaged in furthering the cultural exchange to foster the mutual understanding between people of the two countries under the circumstances that these strong ties between Vietnam and Japan can be observed.
In addition, the Japan Foundation founded the Asia Center in April 2014, aiming at strengthening exchange activities furthermore with Asian countries, especially with the Southeast Asian countries. The new initiatives of the Asia Center include more collaborative arts and cultural exchanges with Asian countries, intra-Asian interactions on common issues and assisting in Japanese-language learning and teaching activities. We pay particular attention to interactive exchanges with other countries through the projects. Focusing on this basic idea, the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam will also promote projects in a wide variety from the fields of visual arts, movies, performing arts, and sports, to the fields of Japanese-language education and intellectual dialogues so that people in Japan and Vietnam become closer and step forward to have empathy and mutual trust. We appreciate for your continued support and cooperation.
Our center not only has a website to provide the updated information on our activities at various sites in Vietnam but also has a library holding Japan-related books and other materials including DVDs. Please feel free to come and visit us.
April, 2015
Toshiki Ando
Director
The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
