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1. The 1st “Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize” ceremony to be held in Yokohama 〜 Equivalent to a Nobel Prize in African medical circles 〜 |
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The first award ceremony of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize will be held at the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), to be held in Yokohama for three days starting from May 28, 2008. The history of the Prize memorably starts in Yokohama where Noguchi spent his early days as an assistant port quarantine doctor. The City of Yokohama will cooperate with the national government in deciding on the details of the ceremony and on related events.
◇Equivalent to a Nobel Prize in African medical circles The decision to establish the Prize, officially named “The Prize in Recognition of Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Medical Research and Medical Services in Africa, in Memory of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi,” was taken after the visit by the then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Africa in 2006. The international prize is intended to honor individuals and organizations for their contribution to the battle against infectious and other diseases in Africa. Hideyo Noguchi immigrated to Africa and dedicated his life to the study of yellow fever. The aim of the Prize is also to hand down the philosophy of the great doctor to subsequent generations and to contribute to the prosperity of mankind and world peace. The winner will receive a cash prize of 100 million yen, equivalent to a Nobel Prize. The donation committee chaired by a former Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, is raising funds from a variety of people who want to support the objectives of the Prize. The donations will be added to the funds for the financial award. Members of the donation committee include the mayor of Yokohama, Hiroshi Nakada. Connection between Yokohama and Hideyo Noguchi In the Meiji Era, the Nagahama Quarantine Station was located in the current Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama with the objective of preventing cholera from spreading nationwide. The young Hideyo Noguchi spent about five months there as an assistant port quarantine doctor in 1899. During that period, he achieved remarkable results that included identifying plague patients. Today, the Nagahama Noguchi Memorial Park is located where the Nagahama Quarantine Station used to be. Japan’s only bacterial laboratory, closely connected to Dr. Noguchi, stands on the site. 【Website】 ： http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/keiei/kaikou/jigyou/press/070627.html(Japanese)
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Inquiries: 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters TEL: 045(671)4344 |
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2. Yokohama’s participation in a cultural dialogue in Nantes, France 〜 Progress toward sign the charter for future activities 〜 |
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This July, the Japan/France metropolitan conference for cultural dialogues was held at the Fontevraud Abbey near Nantes, France. The conference comprised members from cities in Japan and France that are enthusiastic about the encouragement of culture and art. These cities are Yokohama, Niigata and Kanazawa from Japan, and six from France, including Nantes. The year 2008 marks the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and France. The conference, originally proposed by the city of Nantes, was designed to encourage multidirectional exchange between cities of Japan and France in culture and art. The city of Yokohama will facilitate exchanges with its French counterparts through the cultural dialogue.
* The six French cities participating in the conference are Nantes, Lyons, Amiens, Lille, Reims and Tours. Progress toward signing of a charter for future exchanges In the conference, a charter was discussed for the encouragement of multidirectional exchanges between cities for the creation of culture. The charter is scheduled to be signed by the end of March 2008. The charter is to state that (1) a conference will be held in a member city of either Japan or France during a period between 2007 and March 2010, (2) the member cities present their proud achievements in culture and art to one another, and (3) the cities of both countries cooperate in exchanges relating to activities on culture and art. 【Website】 ： http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/keiei/kaikou/souzou/new/070622.html(Japanese) |
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Inquiries: 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters TEL: 045-671-4241 |
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3. New conference set up to facilitate the Creative City Yokohama initiative 〜 Japan’s first organization to support creators is established 〜 |
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The city of Yokohama is promoting Creative City Yokohama, an initiative to fully utilize culture and art in developing the city. The Creative City Yokohama Conference was set up as part of the initiative, to help companies, organizations and administrative organs work together in developing a creativity-oriented city. A general meeting for the establishment of the Conference was held at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse on July 23, 2007.
Up to now, the city of Yokohama has successfully made use of historic buildings and vacant offices in the central area of Yokohama as a foothold for creative activities relating to culture and art. The purpose of the initiative is aimed at identifying the little known attractions of the city. ZAIM, the base of creative activities, was established in 2004 when the abovementioned initiative started. Located along the Bashamichi Street and Nihon Odori Street, ZAIM is estimated to have produced nearly 12 billion yen in economic benefits over the three years from 2004 to 2007. The new conference is aimed at facilitating these moves toward the formation of a creative city. One of the functions of the conference is Arts Commission Yokohama, Japan’s first organization to support artists, creators, citizens and other players of creative activities. Arts Commission Yokohama supports players of creative activities Besides supporting artists, creators, NPOs, citizens, companies, schools and many other players of creative activities in Yokohama, Arts Commission Yokohama provides everyone with opportunities to gather information about art. For example, it supports Yokohama-based activities of culture and art by providing support regarding information and accommodation. In addition, the Arts Commission Yokohama trains future creators and develops a network to connect artists with each other. About “The Creative City Yokohama Conference”
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| [Yokohama Footnotes] Vol.9 Disaster Prevention Day and Yamashita Park |
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September 1st is Disaster Prevention Day in Japan. Yamashita Park, one of the tourist attractions of Yokohama, is deeply connected with the Great Kanto Earthquake. The historic earthquake in 1923 caused enormous damage across the entire area of Yokohama and resulted in nearly 23,000 dead or missing. Numerous buildings collapsed. It took four years to gather the rubble and use it to reclaim the current location of Yamashita Park. This has been a big project to help the city recover from the damage of the Great Kanto Earthquake.
The park opened in 1930. An exposition was held in 1935 to commemorate and to domestically and internationally advertise the recovery of Yokohama from the damage of the Great Kanto Earthquake. The exposition was reportedly a huge success with whales sailing beside moored ships and pavilions gorgeously lined up. The park was requisitioned by the U.S. Army after World War II. Staged derequisition of the park started in 1954 and its reconstruction was completed in 1961. Since then, the park has almost remained the same as it is today. Yamashita Park is also characterized by a number of monuments such as the statue of the Angel of Water presented by the city of San Diego, the statue of a girl who appears in an old Japanese songs “a girl with a pair of red shoes,” and a monument in memory of another song “a sailor that is a sea gull.” At the west end of the park is located the Indian Fountain presented by the Association of Indians in Japan. A passenger ship named Hikawamaru has been moored in front of Yamashita Park since 1961. Seventy-seven years after it was first completed, the old ship is now undergoing repairs both internally and externally. The restored ship will be publicly open in the spring of 2008. |
| What's On Events and Info: Yokohama, the best place to enjoy art and sports in the fall |
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◆Yokohama Life Design Fair 2007 〜 Find clues to and motivation for life after retirement 〜 Many baby boomers have reached the age of retirement. For these older people to enrich their life in Yokohama, companies, citizens’ groups and the City cooperate in an unprecedented initiative to offer a wide variety of activities, such as finding hobbies and jobs in Yokohama and participation in citizens’ activities. 【Date】 Saturday, 22 September 〜 Sunday, 23 September 【Site】 Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall A 【Inquiries】 Civic Partnership Promotion Division, Civic Engagement Promotion Bureau TEL: 045-671-4262 【Website】 http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/shimin/tishin/lifedesign/index.html(Japanese) |
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◆Seiko Super Track & Field 2007 in Yokohama 〜 World’s top athletes gather in Yokohama 〜 Eight events for men and six events for women will be held. The citizens’ track & field festival also starts at 10:00 a.m. prior to the start of the competition. 【Date】 Sunday, 30 September 【Site】 Nissan Stadium 【Inquiries】 Sports Promotion Division, Civic Engagement Promotion Bureau TEL: 045-671-3237 【Website】 http://super-meet.com/(Japanese) |
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◆Yokohama Jazz Promenade 2007 〜 Yokohama is filled with jazz during this two-day period 〜 Yokohama Jazz Promenade has gained nationwide recognition as Japan’s biggest jazz festival. Professional musicians give energetic performance on nearly 100 stages at a total of 22 venues during the two-day period of to the 15th Promenade. 【Date】 Saturday, 6 October & Sunday, 7 October 【Site】 Port Opening Memorial Hall, Kannai Hall, and others 【Inquiries】 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters TEL: 045-671-3864 【Website】 http://www.jazzpro.jp/index.html(Japanese) http://www.jazzpro.jp/en/about.html (English) |
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◆SUMO tournament in Yokohama 2007 commemorates the 150th anniversary of port opening In the latter phase of the Edo Era, Admiral Perry came to Japan and signed the Treaty of Peace and Amity between the United States of America and the Empire of Japan. Ninety-three sumo wrestlers were invited to a ceremony of the signing of the treaty and gave a performance. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the port opening, which followed this historic event, sumo wrestlers will visit Yokohama as a part of their local tour. 【Date】 Sunday, 7 October 【Site】 Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium 【Inquiries】 TEL: 045-577-4388 【Website】 http://www.ysff.jp/about.html(Japanese) |
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◆The 6th Yokohama Student Film Festival Yokohama International Film Festival 2007 The 6th film festival features films made by students from Japan, China and other Asian countries. 【Date】 Friday, 26 October 〜 Sunday, 28 October 【Site】 Yokohama Media and Communications Center Hall 【Inquiries】 TEL: 046-724-1740 【Website】 http://www.ysff.jp/about.html(Japanese) |
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◆Yokohama International Festa 2007 About 250 organizations including NGOs, NPOs, international organizations, schools, companies and the city gather and explain their activities of international cooperation and exchange. 【Date】 Saturday, 27 October 〜 Sunday, 28 October 【Site】 Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall A 【Inquiries】 TEL: 045-662-6350 【Website】 http://yokohama-festa.org/(Japanese) |
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◆The 27th Yokohama Marathon Three events, including a half marathon, a 10-kilometer race and a 10-kilometer wheelchair race, start on the street along Yamashita Park. 【Date】 Sunday, 11 November 【Site】 Start: Yamashita Park 〜 Goal: Yamashita Futo 【Inquiries】 TEL: 045-651-9990 【Website】 http://www.yokohamamarathon.jp/(Japanese) |