Science and Technology Diplomatic Circle conducted the second activity; visit to Fugaku at RIKEN center for computational science and technology in Kobe, a world’s highest performance supercomputer which made debuted on 2020. Fugaku held the first spot on top500 list of the world’s fastest supercomputers for four times by May 2022.
S&TDC の第二回アクティビティとして、理化学研究所 計算科学研究センターにある「富岳」見学に訪問しました。気象や防災、生命科学、ものづくりなど多くの分野で活用されており、最近ではコロナウイルスの飛沫感染趣味レーションで「富岳」の名前をよく耳にしますね。
“Kansai International Exchange Program”
“Kansai International Exchange Program” at the Entrepreneurial Museum of Challenge and Innovation, was conducted by Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Osaka Business & Investment Center on 14 September. The meeting/museum tour was attended by 13 representatives from the Consulate General/Consulate in Kansai including Vice-Dean of Kansai Consular Corps. At the tour, history of Osaka which shall provide many business opportunities as an attractive investment destination for companies around the world was introduced.
We look forward to next collaboration event with Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry!
On 12 Monday 2022, Science and Technology Diplomatic Circle conducted the first meeting by Dr. Felix Moesner, the consul of Switzerland. Meeting theme was “Briefing on Innovation” and meeting was attended by representatives from 20 countries. The presentation document by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Director General Yoichi Hosokawa on can be found in the link.
http://kansaiconsularcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Briefing-Material-part-1.pdf
http://kansaiconsularcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Briefing-Material-11-20.pdf
http://kansaiconsularcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Briefing-Material-21-31.pdf
http://kansaiconsularcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Briefing-Material-31-39.pdf
http://kansaiconsularcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Briefing-Material-39-44.pd
Our colleagues in the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Osaka Liaison office have kindly informed us about an employment opportunity in their office. They are seeking a Japanese citizen with English language ability to serve as a Consular Officer for a period of 7 months (25 September 2018~end of April 2019).
Details can be found on the MOFA homepage (Japanese only):
https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/ms/m_c/page4_004270.html
They will be accepting applications until the end of this month.
Our colleagues at the Kansai National Strategic Special Zone Employment Center (in Japanese, 雇用労働相談センター) have kindly informed us about two upcoming employment seminars. These are the 5th and 6th seminars of their ongoing series of free monthly programs designed to support overseas companies expanding into the Kansai region.
The dates and themes are as follows:
Please note that the seminars will take place in Japanese only.
Additional details and online registration can be found on their homepage: https://kecc.jp
General information about the organization can be found in English here: https://kecc.jp/en/
The Kansai Consular Corps wishes to extend our deep congratulations to Mr. Yoshikawa, Honorary Consul of Chile in Osaka and current Chairman of the Osaka Foundation of International Exchange (OFIX).
Honorary Consul Yoshikawa was recently recognized by the Japan Minister of Foreign Affairs for his outstanding contribution within the field of international exchange.
Congratulations, Honorary Consul Yoshikawa, on your wonderful achievement!
The 27th Tour of the Kansai Consular Forum was held on 4 July 2018. The theme of the tour was “Advanced Housing Technologies in Kansai” and participants were treated to a tour of the Sekisui Heim Industry Co., LTD Kinki-regional plant (located in Nara Prefecture).
Over 24 Consuls-General, Trade Promotion Officers, and other officials representing 18+ countries joined the program.
Following a tour of the plant, which covered important topics such as Sekisui Heim’s technology focus on energy, efficiency and durability/disaster resilience, a lively question-and-answer discussion ensued.
The Kansai Consular Corps would like to extend its deep gratitude to our colleagues at the Kansai Consular Forum for coordinating this event on our behalf, as well as to Sekisui Heim Industry Co., LTD for an informative and meaningful program.
A summary of the event can be found on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) website as follows:
English: http://www.kansai.meti.go.jp/2kokusai/ryoujikan/english_consulate_forum_top.html
Japanese: http://www.kansai.meti.go.jp/2kokusai/ryoujikan/top_jyouhou.html
The KECC will be hosting its monthly free seminar on the evening of 26 July 2018 in Osaka.
The link to register (Japanese only) is https://kecc.jp/seminar.html
This seminar will explain points to note when hiring foreign employees and how foreign businesses might handle labor/employment related matters in Japan. The seminar will be conducted in Japanese.
All are welcome to join!
【第4回 公開セミナー＆雇用労働相談会のお知らせ】
今回の無料セミナーは、第1部「外国人の雇用・労務管理のポイント」〜基礎知識・注意すべき点を中心に〜、第2部「国際化する日本社会／外資系企業／外国人の労働問題〜外国文化と労働問題を考える〜です。また、セミナー終了後には，社会保険労務士と弁護士による個別相談会も行います。
開催日時：7/26（木）17：00〜20：00 ※16：30受付開始
開催場所：淀屋橋三井ビルディング（淀屋橋odona）9階会議室9-1（有限責任監査法人トーマツ 大阪事務所内）
(Note from the Executive Secretariat) Please allow us to showcase this essay, produced under the newly forming KCC Internship program, with special thanks to the Consulate General of India in Osaka-Kobe (website: https://www.indconosaka.org,) not only for bringing together the Kansai community for a wonderful “International Yoga Day” event, but for also cooperating to develop the next generation of Kansai-area youth with this PR/Communications opportunity! Also special thanks to Ms. Natsu Kubota for her terrific work and the young professionals at UNISC Kansai.
#IDY2018 International Day of Yoga, Kansai, 2018 in Kobe. #Meriken Park. Free entry for the 1000+ persons #yoga. Opens 9.15 am, Sunday 24 June 2018. https://t.co/ybWoOgnls2
In the early morning hours of 18 June 2017, more than 1000 residents from throughout the Kansai region, as well as tourists and students such as myself, assembled in front of Heian Jingu Shrine, which was built in 1895 for 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Heian-kyo, ancient capital of Japan. Regardless of age, gender and nationality, these people gathered in Kyoto to experience traditional Indian culture together. And in one moment, under the iconic red gate (torii) of the shrine, I felt Kansai was united with the world by Yoga. It was “International Yoga Day” – a celebration designated by the United Nations in 2014 after Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, proposed the significance of Yoga and the contribution it could make to the world. Yoga originated in India as a way of recognizing the health of both body and mind through mediation.
The Kansai celebration was held in Kyoto with the support and guidance of the Indian Consulate of Osaka-Kobe. As an intern for the Kansai Consular Corps, I joined the event with several of my university classmates to learn more about India and Indian culture.
Following the main outdoor yoga event in the morning was a day-long series of activities that included yoga lessons, Indian dance and music performances and traditional arts and crafts, as food stalls featuring Indian cuisine. At Yoga Live area, people who wanted to learn Yoga were able to take Yoga lessons. There were 5 spaces and a total of 25 lessons were offered, ensuring ample opportunity for all guests. Every class had a unique feature. For example, I was impressed to see yoga lessons for persons with disabilities, medical yoga, and a lesson called “yoga and religion”. There was even a lesson that explored the relationship between Yoga and love. Meanwhile, the event was filled with Yoga and Indian cultural contents. I expected to see Indian art and cultural offerings, but what surprised me were the Kyoto offerings from local shops. Some sold beautiful sweets such as cookies and muffins, others showed Bonsai (“bonsai” literally means “planted in a container” and is a traditional art invented in ancient China and adapted to Japan). The fusion of Indian and Japanese culture made me feel the close connection between the two countries.
As I walked around, enjoying the event, I also spoke with many other visitors, eager to see how they were enjoying the experience. I could feel the energy among the participants. “The yoga instructor spoke in Japanese as well as English so that guests who are not good at Japanese could enjoy the lesson, too”, a woman from Australia said. International Yoga Day (IYD) is held all over the world, but IYD in Kansai was globalized as well as localized.
I was so excited about my experience at the International Yoga Day that I felt I wanted to learn more about the event. How did the Consulate have the idea to hold IYD? How did they coordinate this event? What is their main purpose, etc.? In order to learn more, I contacted the Indian Consulate and requested a meeting and more information.
I arrived at the Indian Consulate with 3 UNISC colleagues and the Vice Consul welcomed us. At first, I asked some questions for IYD. When I said “why did they choose the venue of Heian shrine?” she answered “We wanted to select a place that has heritage value. Our goal is to promote places that are regarded as special within Japanese culture at the same time as we promote our own culture.”
“Yoga was one of the exercises I did to lose weight”, said Sara, a UNISC colleague. She used to take Yoga class in her high school and realized that she experienced psychological benefits in addition to physically ones.
After we students expressed our thoughts about Yoga, the Vice Consul told us that Yoga has now become an international practice, making it possible to be open to various definitions and styles of Yoga. Yet, despite these variations, having one standard of Yoga is also important in order to preserve the original heritage and quality of yoga. I thought this balance between traditional and new interpretations was interesting.
Before my visit to the Consulate, I viewed yoga as a physical exercise, especially for women, and the image of “Western-style” Yoga was very strong in my mind. However, I learned that Yoga is originally more about controlling your body by controlling your mind through breathing.
We were informed about the Common Yoga Protocol designed by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India (GOI).According to yoga protocol, Yoga is defined “a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body.” Unlike Yoga in Western cultures, which practices dynamic Yoga posture, original Yoga was more static. To breathe deeply and calm down for a couple of minutes every day whether in office, school or at home, does not require any warming up or special clothing to do yoga.
I knew that Yoga is also registerd with UNESCO as in intangible world heritage. India is promoting Yoga by holding events to mark the special Day. International Yoga Day was celebrated in Kyoto-Kansai, it was simultaneously celebrated during the week of 21 June by approximately 180 Indian Embassies/Posts including the Indian Consulate in Osaka-Kobe around the world.
GOI’s Ministry of AYUSH, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) published a booklet prepared in consultation with leading Yoga experts and heads of the eminent Yoga Institutions of India called ‘COMMON YOGA PROTOCOL’ and is available at the link http://www.mea.gov.in/images/pdf/common-yoga-protocol.pdf. The information provided in this Yoga protocol is intended to create general awareness among people and community to get harmony & peace through Yoga.
In recognition of a huge demand for Yoga experts at national and international level and with a desire to spread India’s traditional knowledge worldwide, Ministry of AYUSH along with Quality Council of India (QCI) launched two Schemes in June 2015 with a robust system of evaluation and certification of ‘Yoga Professionals’ and ‘Yoga Schools’ based on international best practices, to enhance their credibility and for marketing and popularising Yoga globally. We were also informed of the link http://yogacertification.qci.org.in/. Many Indian Universities now also offer a Master and Doctorate Degree in Yoga
Many people are familiar with Yoga throughout the world , but I suspect that it is still mostly known by its “western” variations. The reason International Yoga day is attractive to many people and obviously successful due to the coordinators’ flexible and tolerant attitude, as I witnessed in the event and in my interviews with participants. There is an international stream where people prefer tradition and sustainability living with nature.
Anyway, from now on, I would like to practice Yoga following protocol!
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With the coming of spring (and an unexpectedly early, but still beautiful, cherry blossom season in the Kansai region) the Kansai Consular Corps experienced a number of changes to its membership.
The Kansai Consular Corps wishes to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Oh Tai-kyu, newly arrived Consul-General of the Republic of Korea in Osaka. We hope you will enjoy your time in Kansai.
The Kansai Consular Corps also wishes to bid farewell, and express our heartfelt gratitude, to the following members:
1. Mr. Ha Ta-Yun, former Consul-General of the Republic of Korea in Osaka
2. Mr. Hideki Yokomizu, Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan (retired)
3. Mr. Akio Tsujii, Honorary Consul of Spain (retired)