Official Residence TOP
Official Residence Archives
Top > Speeches and Statements by Prime Minister


Memorandum on Cultural and Educational Exchange
between Japan and the Federative Republic of Brazil

Tokyo, May 26, 2005


The Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, and the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva;
Taking into account the "Japan-Brazil Exchange Year" which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Japanese immigration to Brazil in 2008 and counting on a proposal to be submitted to both leaders by the newly established "Japan-Brazil Council for the 21st Century",
Confirming that both countries work in collaboration to further promote exchange and cooperation in the fields of culture, education and academy, and youth and sports and,
Expecting that the development of exchange and cooperation in such fields will contribute to the successful "Japan-Brazil Exchange Year" as well as to the further advancement of the traditional and amicable relationship based upon mutual understanding and confidence between the two countries,
Shared the view that the two countries should foster cultural exchange along the following basic directions;
1.Japan and the Federative Republic of Brazil (hereinafter referred to as "both sides") confirm the importance of activating high-level dialogues on cultural exchange and encourage to establish such dialogues. In this context, Japan intends to send a high-level mission on cultural exchange to the Federative Republic of Brazil at a convenient moment. Both sides, taking into account the "Japan-Brazil Exchange Year", intend to hold a Japan-Brazil cultural consultation at a convenient time for both sides to exchange views and information on concrete methods, framework and so forth for the advancement of cultural exchange between the two countries.
2.Both sides encourage cultural exchange events which commemorate the "Japan-Brazil Exchange Year", and to this end, endeavour to exchange information and promote collaboration with a view to preparing and holding events.
3.Both sides, on the basis of the current situation of the cultural exchange between the two countries, in order to raise popular mood of both countries for celebrating together the "Japan-Brazil Exchange Year" and to have an atmosphere favourable for deepening mutual understanding and cultural exchange, encourage further promotion of the exchange in the following fields by various means;
1)Cultural Exchange
-Exchange and cooperation among cultural institutions in the two countries
-Exchange of artists, scholars in the cultural field, journalists, and other experts engaged in cultural activities.
-Presentation of each culture to the other country by means of exposition or exhibition of fine arts, craftwork, photography and other visual arts, music, theatre and other performing arts, and festivals, workshops and other means. Especially, Japan intends to advance the preparation to hold a Japanese arts exposition and other grand-scale cultural events in the Federative Republic of Brazil in commemoration of the "Japan-Brazil Exchange Year".
-Audio-visual exchange including exchange of TV programs, celebration of cinema festivals in both countries, and distribution of movie films among others.
-Translation of works by prominent authors in the two countries and introduction of publications by participating in book fairs in the respective countries.
2)Educational Exchange
-Exchange of academics, teachers and professors, researchers, students and other persons engaged in the educational and research activities.
-Cooperation and exchange among educational and research institutions in the two countries.
-Education and research on the language, literature, history, culture and other aspects of the other country and exchange of publications to promote such education and research.
-Conducting lectures, seminars and conferences to promote understanding and recognition on the wide-ranging fields of the respective countries.
3)Youth and Sports Exchange
-Utilization of various frameworks to promote exchange of young generations who will shape the future. Japan intends to invite more than 1,000 Brazilian students and youth to Japan over the course of the next five years as it is mentioned in the Joint Communiqu? between Japan and the Federative Republic of Brazil of September 16, 2004.
-Exchange in the field of sports.