ID :
171390
Mon, 03/28/2011 - 19:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/171390
The shortlink copeid
Baikal-Japan Society publishes Book of Friendship
IRKUTSK, March 28 (Itar-Tass) -- A Book of Friendship has been
published in Irkutsk on the initiative and with active support of members
of the Baikal-Japan society. The well-illustrated book is devoted to
age-long relations between the twin territories in the east of Russia and
Japan.
In the 18th century a ship with Japanese sailors on board was
shipwrecked off Russia's coast. All the survivors were brought to Irkutsk,
which heralded the formation of the Japanese Diaspora there. The existence
of the Japanese Diaspora in the city prompted the establishment of a
Japanese language department at the local Navigation School which existed
for more than 60 years, one of the book authors, Vladimir Nevzorov, told
Itar-Tass.
In July 1966, an agreement on the establishment of friendly, fraternal
relations between the Irkutsk department of the USSR-Japan society and a
corresponding department of the Japan-USSR society in the Ishikawa
prefecture was signed.
The establishment of the twin territories was to a great extent
achieved thanks to Neagari Mayor Shigeki Mori, who came out in support of
good neighborly relations with Russia. He believed that Siberia was his
second homeland and bequeathed that part of his ashes be buried in the
town of Shelekhov in Russia, now frequently visited by his son - former
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
Like Shelekhov the Russian cities of Irkutsk, Bratsk,
Zheleznogorsk-Ilimsky, Angarsk, and Usolye Sibirskoye are also twin cities
of their Japanese counterparts.
A presentation ceremony of the Book of Friendship was to be held in
Japan at the end of March, but the recent tragic developments in Japan
thwarted these plans. Nonetheless, activists of the Baikal-Japan society
are confident that their meeting will take place. For the time being the
Russian side sent a telegram addressed to the chairman of Ishikawa-Russia
society. "We were deeply shocked by the news about the natural calamity in
Japan. We express concern about the fate of our friends and mourn for the
victims of the tragedy," the telegram said.
published in Irkutsk on the initiative and with active support of members
of the Baikal-Japan society. The well-illustrated book is devoted to
age-long relations between the twin territories in the east of Russia and
Japan.
In the 18th century a ship with Japanese sailors on board was
shipwrecked off Russia's coast. All the survivors were brought to Irkutsk,
which heralded the formation of the Japanese Diaspora there. The existence
of the Japanese Diaspora in the city prompted the establishment of a
Japanese language department at the local Navigation School which existed
for more than 60 years, one of the book authors, Vladimir Nevzorov, told
Itar-Tass.
In July 1966, an agreement on the establishment of friendly, fraternal
relations between the Irkutsk department of the USSR-Japan society and a
corresponding department of the Japan-USSR society in the Ishikawa
prefecture was signed.
The establishment of the twin territories was to a great extent
achieved thanks to Neagari Mayor Shigeki Mori, who came out in support of
good neighborly relations with Russia. He believed that Siberia was his
second homeland and bequeathed that part of his ashes be buried in the
town of Shelekhov in Russia, now frequently visited by his son - former
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
Like Shelekhov the Russian cities of Irkutsk, Bratsk,
Zheleznogorsk-Ilimsky, Angarsk, and Usolye Sibirskoye are also twin cities
of their Japanese counterparts.
A presentation ceremony of the Book of Friendship was to be held in
Japan at the end of March, but the recent tragic developments in Japan
thwarted these plans. Nonetheless, activists of the Baikal-Japan society
are confident that their meeting will take place. For the time being the
Russian side sent a telegram addressed to the chairman of Ishikawa-Russia
society. "We were deeply shocked by the news about the natural calamity in
Japan. We express concern about the fate of our friends and mourn for the
victims of the tragedy," the telegram said.
