KF뉴스레터-Japan

Japan

Korea-Japan Exchange Programs
Located in the Korean Embassy in Japan, the Tokyo Office opened its doors in October 2007 as the Foundation’s sixth overseas office of its global network, which is intended to boost Korea’s public diplomacy and international exchange efforts at the private level. Over the years, the relationship between Korea and Japan has become ever more multidimensional and intertwined. Last year, Japanese visitors to Korea amounted to some 3.05 million, while about 1.7 million Koreans visited Japan. People and cultural exchange between Korea and Japan have expanded steadily with the two countries being each other’s most frequent destination, resulting in two-way visitor traffic that averages 13,000 daily.
Nevertheless, there are several points of contention that need to be rectified in order to enhance their bonds of friendship and cooperation. It is especially critical for Korea and Japan to maintain a future oriented partnership so that they can join forces to address changes in the Northeast Asian region and the international order. In this regard, the role and projects of the Korea Foundation, for the purpose of enhancing mutual understanding and promoting Korea’s nation brand, through its public diplomacy initiatives and support from the Tokyo Office, as its local representative in Japan, are all the more important today.

Key Activities in 2010
Since its launch in 1991, the Foundation has contributed to steadily expanding cultural understanding between Korea and Japan through its support for personnel and cultural exchange programs, including the Korea-Japan Forum and an exchange program for university students of Korea and Japan. In addition, the Tokyo Office monitors the interests of relevant organizations and individuals in Japan in an effort to develop and implement more creative programs and projects, which are tailored to Japan’s particular circumstances. According to the recently announced results of a public opinion survey undertaken by Japan’s Cabinet secretariat, 63.1 percent of the respondents indicated they felt close to Korea, an increase of 6.0 percentage points from the previous year, and the highest level since the start of this survey project in 1978. I like to think that the Tokyo Office, and the Foundation’s efforts, have made a contribution to this favorable trend in Japan’s public opinion toward Korea, to some extent.

The year 2010 marks a notable turning point for the relations between Korea and Japan. The Tokyo Office will thus put forth its utmost efforts to assure the successful implementation of various projects and activities, including the opening of a Korean Studies center at the University of Tokyo, one of this year’s key projects; participation in the Tokyo International Book Fair; organization of conferences on Korea and Japan; and a variety of cultural and artistic events. In this regard, I sincerely welcome your interest and suggestions on the role and activities of the Tokyo Office.

한국국제교류재단

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