August 13, 2015
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Overseas Travelling Exhibition - Through the Eyes of Japanese Photographers
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The overseas travelling exhibition of photographs of the Tohoku, northeastern region of Japan, entitled “Tohoku-Through the Eyes of Japanese Photographers” is being exhibited in the Kingdom of Tonga, until Monday, 31 August, 2015.
The Embassy of Japan hosted the official opening of the exhibition on Thursday, 13 August 2015 at the Tupou Tertiary Institute School Hall. Hon. Dr ‘Aisake Eke, Minister for Finance and National Planning was the guest of honor, and present at the opening ceremony were Their Excellencies, Mr. Brett Aldam, the Australian High Commissioner, Mr. Huang Huaguang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China and Mrs. Sarah Walsh, the New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga. Dr. ‘Ana Koloto, Director of the University of the South Pacific Tonga Campus was also present, amongst other guests.
H.E. Mr. Yukio Numata, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Tonga in his welcoming remark explained that the exhibition will showcase the Tohoku, North-eastern region of Japan, devastated by the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 through a collection of photographs in order to illustrate that Tohoku is much more than the March 11, 2011 catastrophe, and expressed his wish that the cooperation through the exhibition would inspire Tongan photographers and youth to pursue the advancement of the art of photography.
Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Eke in his keynote address highlighted that the exhibition is an inspiration and a learning opportunity for Tongans. He thanked the Ambassador for bringing the exhibition to Tonga and acknowledged the efforts to strengthen the existing close relationship between Tonga and Japan through educational and cultural programs.
“Tohoku-Through the Eyes of the Japanese Photographers” is composed of 123 photographs by nine individual photographers and one photographers’ group who belong to a variety of generation and with stylistic methods, but are all from Tohoku. The Exhibition was produced to mark the first anniversary of the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, and since then have been travelling overseas to introduce many fascinating aspects of Tohoku region to the people of the world. This is one of the cultural exchange programs organized by the Embassy in collaboration with the Japan Foundation.
The exhibition is now open for public viewing at the Tupou Tertiary Institute School Hall from 9:00am to 5:00pm, from Monday to Saturday, until August 31st, before the exhibition departs Tonga to the next destination, Hanoi in Vietnam.
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