2009 Culture relations

27th Annual Plenary Meeting of the Interaction Council

27th Annual Plenary Meeting of the Interaction Council（commonly known as OB Summit）was held at King Abdullah Economic City（KAEC），Rabigh，from 10 through 13 May，2009 and H．E．Mr．Fukuda，former Prime Minister of Japan，H．E．Mr．Sugiura，former Justice Minister of Japan，H．E．Mr．Arima，Special Envoy of the Government of Japan，Mr．Taya，Professor of Rikkyo University，etc．participated in the Meeting．
Following the keynote speech given by H．E．Mr．Schmidt，former Chancellor of Germany，opinions were actively expressed by former top level goverment dignitaries and heated discussions were held among them at the respective sessions on the themes such as “Present State of the World”，“Energy Availability and Economic Growth”and“How to Prevent a New Cold War”．
General consensus was observed on the importance of dialogue and cooperation and on the need of multilateralism．After the adoption of the final communique，H．E．Mr．Fukuda welcomed the decision of holding the next Plenary Meeting in Hiroshima and drew applause from the whole audience．Besides his participation in the Meeting，H．E．Mr．Fukuda visited Petro Rabigh．


Conference room	H．E．Mr．Fukuda，former Prime Minister of Japan(Right side)

Performance of Karate Demonstration

On the night of 25 May，2009，the performance of Karate demonstration was jointly held by the Consulate-General of Japan in Jeddah and the Western Region Branch of Saudi Karate Federation at the Asia Martial Art Defense Club in Jeddah．
４ Japanese Karate experts，namely，Mr．Kesakatsu Kiyohara（7th dan），Mr．Masataka Muramatsu（8th dan），Mr．Kazuo Nasu（7th dan）and Mr．Kazumitsu Nasu（5th dan），gave demonstrations of kata and kumite．More than 300 spectators from the Western Region Branch of Saudi Karate Federation，Consular corps and the Japanese Community participated in this event and enjoyed the powerful demonstration．Some spectators voiced their admiration saying that they were deeply impressed by the exquisite skills displayed by the experts．
The experts also gave guidance for the Saudi Karate instructors as well as players．In the morning on the same day，the experts visited Al- Amjaad Boys School and received a wholehearted welcome．The experts gave guidance to the Karate Club members at the gymnasium of the School．The visit of the Karate experts team to Jeddah greatly aroused the interest in Karate among the people in Jeddah．


Mr.Ishigure's opening address	Karate demonstration by Saudi Karate team	Japanese Karate experts	Japanese karate experts with Saudi Karate coaches

Tea ceremony demonstration by female members of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces

On 7 June，a tea ceremony demonstration was held by three female members of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces at the residence of the Consul General of Japan in Jeddah．The wives of some dignitaries of the business circles as well as the wives of ex-Saudi students to Japan and the Consuls General of Asian Countries totalling 14 ladies participated in observing the demonstration．All the guests watched the performances with great interest．They were impressed particularly by the comment made by Mrs．Ishigure，wife of the Consul General of Japan，in which she said that to sense the care of the person who prepares tea as well as to be aware of the gratitude felt by the guest is the attitude expected to be assumed in the calmness during the ceremony．Many participants experienced the way of how to prepare tea under the guidance of the members．All of them expressed their thanks by saying that the ceremony was a splendid event．


Tea ceremony demonstration	Serving tea to the guests	Experiencing the way of preparing tea	Female members of Maritime Self-Defense Forces and wives of the Consulate's General staff

Graduation Ceremony for the 6th Batch Students of Saudi Japanese Automobile High Institute（SJAHI）

On 15 August，2009，the graduation ceremony for the 6th batch of 215 students was held at the Saudi Japanese Automobile High Institute（SJAHI）with the presence of H．R．H．Prince Mishaal Bin Majid Bin Abdul Aziz，Governor of Jeddah． Among the participants，there were H．E．Mr．Toshimitsu Ishigure，Consul General of Japan in Jeddah，Mr．Shin Hosaka，Director，Automobile Division，Ministry of Economy（METI），Trade and Industry，Mr．Shigeru Maeda，Executive Technical Advisor to the Director General，Industrial Development Department，Japan International Cooperation Agency（JICA），Mr．Kazuhisa Matsuoka，President，Japan International Cooperation Center（JICE），Mr．Satoshi Aoki，Chairman，Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association（JAMA），etc．from the Japanese side and Dr．Ali Bin Nasser Al-Ghafees，Managing Director，Technical and Vocational Training Cooperation（TVTC），top executives of Japanese car dealers，etc．from Saudi side．
This ceremony was also marked as the occasion of honouring JICA for its support extended to SJAHI for 8 years and of welcoming the new support of Japan through METI．
H．E．Mr．Ishigure welcomed the guests including the Governor of Jeddah and said in his address，“ SJAHI is an important symbol of friendship and cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Japan．The graduates of SJAHI are the big assets for the Saudi automobile industry．I am confident that the cooperation being extended by METI through JICE and Japan Internatioal Cooperation System（JICS）will add another chapter in the success story of SJAHI．”
H．R．H．Prince Mishaal handed over the graduation certificates to the graduates and made honourable recognition of the graduates who achieved excellent records.


VIPs and Participants	Mr.Ishigure, delivering his address	Rrecognition of H．R．H．Prince Mishaal Bin Majid Bin Abdul Aziz	Commemorative Photo

(Courtesy SJAHI)

Presentation of booklets for the guidance on the study in Japan to Saudi Association of Japan Graduates（SAJG）

Presentation Ceremony

　On 7 October，2009，H．E．Mr．Toshimitsu Ishigure，Consul General of Japan in Jeddah presented some booklets for the guidance on the study in Japan（including the promotion DVD entitled“Study in Japan”）to Mr．Reda Sejiny，Secretary General of Saudi Association of Japan Graduates（SAJG） at the office of the Consulate- General．This presentation was made in response to the request by Mr．Sejiny．These booklets are to be kept at the recently established Information Center for those people wishing to study in Japan．
Mr．Sejiny said，“There is a possibility that the number of Saudi students will increase as a reaction to the program entitled “Thought” which was televised during Ramadan on MBC TV with the aim of introducing Japan．We would like to provide the people wishing to study in Japan with the information by utilizing the booklets which have been presented to the Association．”

Presentation of Japanese Books

　On 26 October，2009，H．E．Mr．Toshimitsu Ishigure，Consul General of Japan in Jeddah，presented Arabic versions of two Japanese books entitled “The economic development of Japan，the Path travelled by Japan as a Developing Country” and “Meiji - Manpower which led the Restoration” to Dr．Abdul Mohsen Faraj Al-Gahtani，Chairman of Jeddah Literary & Cultural Club （JLCC）．
　Dr．Al-Gahtani expressed his gratitude by saying that some other books had been gifted to JLCC in December last year preceding this presentaion of books．