Orenburg state university

Following Sun

Japan comes to OSU. The opening ceremony of the 11^th "Days of Japan in OSU" festival was held on the 18^th of September.

The meeting between OSU Rector Vladimir Kovalevskiy and Japanese delegation — first secretary of Japanese Embassy in Russian Federation Hiroe Takahasi and director of Autonomous Noncommercial Organization "Japanese Center in Nizhny Novgorod" Akihiko Satake was conducted on that day. The main theme of the event was cooperation between OSU and Japanese universities. The Rector noticed that teachers of Japanese language have been working during 6 years in OSU due to cooperation between OSU and Japanese Embassy in Russian Federation. Seventeen students of Orenburg State University took training courses in the Land of the Rising Sun over the past 5 years. Vladimir emphasized that a lot of famous guests have visited OSU during this cooperation. For example, Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Russian Federation Issay Nomura (2006) and Yasuo Saito (2007), President of Hiroshima University Tosimasa Asahara have visited the University. Akihiko Satake said the gratitude to the Rector for invitation and expressed his hope for further development of friendly and business relationships.

Acting Minister of Cultural and Foreign Affairs of Orenburg region, Head of International Cooperation Department Aleksandr Kalinin and Head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mission in Russian Federation Aleksandr Kusnetsov were also present on the openings ceremony. Sergey Letuta has opened this event. He noticed this festival is conducted by support of Orenburg Region Government and Japanese Embassy in Russian Federation. OSU Vice-rector for Research recalled about important events of last "Days of Japan" and promised that the program of this year will be also interesting.

In frames of the festival scientists, politicians, businessmen, professors and students of Orenburg city started the "Following Sun" trip. The whole week they have opened the most unusual sides of Japan for themselves. For example, they have learned secrets of business etiquette and staff training in Japan on day’s business-workshop. The opening of Japanese movie festival was held in the cinema-center "Kosmos". The best products of Japanese cinema were demonstrated on the big screen during 6 days.

There was also a unique origami workshop in festival program, which were conducted by Megumi Kitamura, teacher from Japan. Beyond that all the participants could visit "Japan: traditions, art, literature" book fair and historical meeting "Song-poetic creativity and mythology of Japanese nation".