Biwako Hall head hopes more men in their prime to visit the hall
Ms. Emi Uehara, executive director of Biwako Hall Center for Performing Arts, Shiga in Otsu City's Uchidehama, made a speech titled 'The Role of Arts in Society'at a luncheon held by the Kansai Press Club in mid-April. The following is an outline of Uehara's speech:Nearly five years have passed since Biwako Hall Center for Performing Arts was established. I have participated in the establishment of the center since its planning stage. We have pursued and are pursuing two goals of 'creation'.One of the two goals is to create our own 'made-in-Biwako Hall'performing arts. As the core of such arts, we have set up a vocal ensemble, which is made up of soloists. Behind the establishment of the ensemble lies the idea of not competing but collaborating with a number of orchestras, which are performing actively in the Kansai area.
The other goal is to produce operas that have not been played in Japan. In addition, we have set up a supporter system similar to those of J. League professional soccer teams in a bid to create a greater number of audience at the Biwako Hall. Since the establishment of the hall, more than one million people have visited the hall, with 12,000 junior high school students enjoying operas. Meanwhile, the vocal ensemble has toured and performed at 30 schools. The Biwako Hall has won high acclaims from the public for its outstanding appearance and high levels of audio and lighting staff.
Performing arts are one means of communication and help with the understanding of different cultures. We hope a greater number of men in their prime will visit the hall and enjoy an array of performing arts. The fact that such arts are taking place mainly in Tokyo may remain unchanged. But we are determined to continue to offer performing arts in the Kansai region.
Rotary Int'l 2004 Osaka Convention, May 23-26
The Rotary International 2004 Osaka Convention (chairman: Genshitsu Sen) will take place on May 23-26 at three convention venues such as Osaka Dome and Osaka International Convention Center.Participants will hold group discussions and make announcements on problems facing Rotary Clubs around the world and deepen interchanges among club members. In addition, event halls will be set up to introduce various projects involving Rotary International, and Japanese culture and arts to Rotarians.
Rotary International Convention has been held once a year. This year's event is the first to be held in Japan since the 1978 Tokyo convention and the first ever to be held in the Kansai region.
The Secretariat expects nearly 45,000 people in Japan and abroad to participate in the Osaka convention. The event is expected to have a favorable effect on the regional economy.
URL http://www.2004kansai.jp
'Saito' int'l culture park opens in northern Osaka
Western part of 'Saito' (International Culture Park) in the hills of Kita-Osaka (northern Osaka) opened on April 25. The 25-hectare area accounts for about 3% of total area (743 hectares). The blueprint of the International Culture Park was worked out by the Osaka Prefectural Government 18 years ago. Under the plan, the Osaka Prefectural Government, the Urban Development Corp., railway operator Hankyu Corp. and other organizations have jointly developed the area.
The construction of Saito is aimed at creating a unique, multifunctional metropolis where its urban functions are in harmony with the natural surroundings and establishing research and development bases for life sciences as well as promoting international academic research and cultural interchanges.
Already, the Osaka office of the National Institute of Health Sciences has opened. The institute will play a leading role in biotechnology research until the establishment of the Pharmaceutical Research Institute (a tentative name) at the Life Science Park. In addition, the Saito Bio Incubator of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is scheduled to open this summer with the aim of fostering bio-venture entrepreneurs. About 1,000 people have moved into the residential area in Saito and population there as a whole is projected to increase to 50,000.
The northern Osaka area where Saito is located has a number of educational, cultural and research organizations, such as Osaka University, Osaka University of Foreign Studies, the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, the National Cardiovascular Center and the Osaka Bioscience Institute.
URL http://www.saito.tv
Features of various Kansai cities introduced in DVD
The Kinki District Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, along with the Rekishikaido Promotional Council (chaired by Yoshihisa Akiyama, chairman of the Kansai Economic Federation), has produced a 64-minute DVD video in four languages-Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean-as part of a 'Visit Japan Campaign' to introduce various cities in the Kansai region to foreigners.The campaign is aimed at boosting the number of foreign visitors to Japan. The video titled 'Historic Road -door to Romance' was edited by utilizing TV programs of the same title that had been aired for the last decade.
The DVD video is meant to introduce historic and cultural resources that have been amassed in various part of the Kansai area such as Ise, Asuka, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. In addition, it features ancient histories and hot springs in other cities. It will be distributed to mass media in Japan and abroad and sold to the public.
The Historic Road program was created to revive and introduce to people in Japan and worldwide good natures of Japan such as its history, culture and mind so that they will be able to easily understand a beautiful Japan especially Kansai, an area with a long history and original culture.
Kansai governments, together with the central government's ministries concerned, economic and industry organizations and private businesses, have set up the Rekishikaido Promotional Council to create a history and culture-oriented community. The council is airing the 'Historic Road - Door to Romance' and actively conducting public relations activities in the Tokyo metropolitan area and overseas.
URL http://www.rekishikaido.gr.jp
KIPPO marks 10th anni-versary of its founding
By President Yasuo ShinguThis year marks the 10th anniversary of the Kansai International Public Relations Promotion Office (KIPPO), which was jointly established by municipal governments and economic circles in the Kansai region in 1994 with the aim of promoting information and knowledge on Kansai across the nation and worldwide.
During the past decade, we published KIPPO NEWS and operated Kansai Window on the Internet as well as organized the Kansai Press Tours by inviting foreign journalists to promote information and knowledge about Kansai.
We have been able to achieve these goals thanks to support and cooperation from foreign news organizations and people concerned. I take this occasion to express our deep gratitude.
Kansai is an area with a long history and original culture, and has played a leading role in Japanese industry and economy. We are determined to supply fresh, in-depth pieces of information from Kansai in a timely manner. I hope all of you will continue to give advice and support to us.
Kansai in Focus: 'Let's study in the city center' campaign under way in Osaka City's central 'Kita' area
About a decade ago, Osaka University's Faculty of Medicine and Osaka Kyoiku University were transferred to Osaka Prefecture's suburban areas from Osaka City, making the second-largest Japanese city one of those with few universities. For the last several years, however, 'Satellite schools' of universities and graduate schools have been established one after another in the Umeda district near JR Osaka Station and the Nakanoshima district in the city's central 'Kita' area. Once widely known as one of the largest shopping, entertainment and business areas in the prefecture, the Kita area is now able to meet diversified needs of learning among citizens.On April 27, Osaka University, together with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, celebrated the completion of the 10-story Nakanoshima Center Campus Innovation Center Building at the former site of Osaka University's Faculty of Medicine in the Nakanoshima area in Osaka City's Kita Ward.
The state-run university's Nakanoshima Center occupies the building's seventh floor and above to engage in education and research, and dispatch information to and promote interchanges with the local community. Specifically, the center holds mock trials of Law School and school courses for citizens. On the 10th floor, there is the multi-purpose Saji Memorial Hall, which was opened with the contributions from the bereaved family of former Suntory Ltd. Chairman Keizo Saji, an Osaka University alumnus.
Campus Innovation Center
The Campus Innovation Center occupies the third to sixth floors. The satellite campus is scheduled to house extension schools of Osaka Kyoiku University, Hyogo University of Teacher Education, Joetsu University of Education, Naruto University of Education, Okayama University, Nara Women's University, the University of Tokushima and Osaka University of Commerce. These schools will offer extension lectures and seek to promote alliance with business corporations.
Meanwhile, the Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library has renovated its idle space and called on universities to offer satellite schools. In response, Kobe University's Graduate School of Business Administration opened a business school while Kansai University will launch a law school this autumn and offer legal aid services.
Those universities which will open satellite schools in Nakanoshima plan to take geographical advantage of the Nakanoshima area where there are Osaka City Hall and head and branch offices of the Bank of Japan, the Kansai Economic Federation, Kansai Electric Power Co., the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Sumitomo Life Insurance Co., high and district courts, and the Osaka Securities Exchange.
Satellite schools
As for the Umeda area, satellite schools have been established by Osaka City University, Osaka Sangyo University, Kwansei Gakuin University and Takarazuka University of Art and Design. In addition, such schools have been opened by Ritsumeikan Academeia @ Osaka and Hannan University in Osaka City's Chuo Ward south of Nakanoshima and one by Osaka Prefectural University's Graduate School in the Minami area.
Meanwhile, in Higashi-Osaka City, a mecca of small and midsize businesses and technology, Osaka University, along with Kinki University, Osaka Sangyo University and Osaka University of Commerce, is considering setting up an office for industry-academia collaboration in the Creation Core Higashi-Osaka Building of the Japan Regional Development Corporation (JRDC) to promote interchanges with manufacturing firms, develop new technology and foster entrepreneurs. Besides, it is reported that the University of Tokyo is also poised to move into this area.
National universities were reorganized into independent administrative entities this spring. Private and municipal universities also have begun to transform themselves. Dramatic changes in universities may help revitalize central Osaka. (J)