Tokyo Hanil Festival to be held online this year...Restoring the relationship. Voice gone

In the aftermath of COVID-19, the "Korea-Japan Festival Festival Madang" Tokyo event, a representative cultural exchange event between Korea and Japan, was held online for the second year. Prior to the COVID-19 incident, Japanese politicians used the event to express their wishes for improving bilateral relations, but their messages were also cut off at this year's event.

The Korea-Japan Festival Madang 2021 Executive Committee held "Korea-Japan Festival Madang 2021 in Tokyo" on its YouTube channel on the 11th under the slogan "Let's go together even if we can't meet."

Considering measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event was held in a way that broadcasts pre-recorded videos and real-time online exchange programs held at the Korean Cultural Center in Japan in Tokyo.

Kang Chang-il, the Korean ambassador to Japan, said, "It is of great significance that exchanges continue," adding, "I sincerely hope that I can meet you in person and greet you next year."

"I sincerely hope that more civilian exchanges will build better relations in various areas, including cultural exchanges between Korea and Japan, and lead to further development of future-oriented bilateral relations," said Mikio Sasaki, chairman of the Japan Economic Association.

The contents of the event focused on cultural events that promote Korean culture to Japanese people, including traditional Korean percussion performances, Korea-Japan exchange quiz competitions, K-POP medley, and K-pop dance lessons.

However, not only did Japanese government officials and Japanese politicians not participate in this year's event, but also did not send videos or messages to Germany, which contrasted with the previous event.

For example, when the Korea-Japan Festival was held at Hibiya Park in Tokyo in September 2019, several Japanese politicians and government officials came to the venue to express their wishes for restoring Korea-Japan relations.

Kazuyoshi Akaba, Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said at the time, "Even if there is a problem between the governments, I am sure that the friendly relations between the two countries will not be shaken at all if civilian exchanges are active."

At that time, the Japanese government strengthened export regulations on Korea in protest of the ruling on compensation for the draft issue during the Japanese colonial period, and the boycott of Japan was expanding in Korea.

The Korea-Japan Festival was first held in Seoul in 2005 when President Roh Moo Hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi set 2005 as the "Korea-Japan Friendship Year" to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan.

Since then, as the foreign ministers of the two countries agreed, the Korea-Japan Festival yard has been held at the same time every year for 13 consecutive years in Seoul and Tokyo from 2009 to Seoul and Tokyo.

Date: 2021-09-08

Reporter: 서화목