BCCJ , UK – Japan links , Choshu Five celebrate a special year
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A Great Year for Anniversaries
BCCJ , UK – Japan links , Choshu Five celebrate a special year
UK – Japan Relations : 400 Years We will host 400 Night at the Conrad Tokyo on 18 July . The special event will celebrate the 400th anniversary of diplomatic , trading and cultural relations between the UK and Japan .
At this landmark gathering — supported by the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Japan – British Society — BCCJ members and friends are invited to enjoy the spirit of discovery and mutual regard that has inspired many successful collaborations and a remarkable friendship between two societies on opposite sides of the world .
“ Though separated by ten thousand leagues of clouds and waves , our territories are as it were close to each other ”— Tokugawa Ieyasu , letter to King James I , October 1613 .
Throughout the year , the UK-based Japan400 festival is celebrating historical links between the UK and Japan . They began in 1613 , with a remarkable sea voyage and an exchange of royal gifts .
A programme of events is being delivered in London and other parts of the UK , focusing on art , theatre , science , enterprise , history and culture .
Japan400 showcases existing links and aims to further enrich the dialogue and the dynamic relationship between the two countries .
The BCCJ is delighted to play a part in supporting this project . http :// japan400 . com /
Choshu Five : 150 Years This year marks the 150th anniversary of the arrival , in 1863 , of the Choshu Five in the UK .
Hailing from western Japan , five members of the Choshu clan studied at University College London before returning to their motherland to play a decisive role in the development of Japan as a modern nation .
The delegation included Ito Hirobumi , Japan ’ s first prime minister and the father of the Japanese constitution , as well as other key figures of the Meiji Restoration ( 1868 ).
Supported by the British Embassy Tokyo , in September the British Council will hold a symposium titled Following in the Footsteps of the Choshu Five . The conference will assess the delegation ’ s legacy and promote discussion on global leadership in the modern age .
British Chamber of Commerce in Japan : 65 years
As mentioned on page 15 , we will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the BCCJ at this year ’ s British Business Awards ( BBA ).
To be held on the evening of 1 November at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo , the sixth BBA promises fine wines , a great British menu , and the dazzling excitement of the awards ceremony .
We are delighted to be welcoming virtuoso violinist Diana Yukawa , who in 2000 debuted in Japan . She has since released three successful albums with Sony Music and BMG Japan . In addition , she has collaborated with Robin Stapleton and Grant Llewellyn , conductors of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , the English Chamber Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra .
At this year ’ s headliner event , guests can expect an unforgettable musical experience from this talented artist .
If you have any memories , photos or other memorabilia that could help us celebrate Japan400 , the Choshu Five or the BCCJ ’ s 65th anniversary , please email : info @ bccjapan . com
Lori Henderson MBE BCCJ Executive Director
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