American and Canadian High School Students Pay a Courtesy Call on Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Nishimura

 

  At 2:30pm on July 9, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura received a courtesy call from North American high school students visiting Japan as winners of ‘Japan Bowl’ via the ‘Kakehashi Project’ run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and aimed at promoting international understanding of Japan.      
 
1. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Nishimura began by welcoming the students and relating his own ties to North America, and went on to mention Japan’s hosting of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. He voiced his hope that each student would stay connected to Japan in various ways using their firsthand experience and language skills.  
2. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary fielded students’ questions ranging from his occupational duties to the government’s initiatives for women in the workforce and was thanked by the group on behalf of the parties involved in organizing the invitation and hosting the students at various locations.   
3. A peaceful atmosphere encompassed the whole affair which concluded with the students posing for a group photo with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Nishimura.    
 
*(Reference) Japan Bowl Invitation via the Kakehashi Project

•  The Kakehashi Project is a future-oriented two-way exchange initiative geared toward enhancing communication between Japan’s and North America’s youth. In addition to promoting understanding of Japan, the programme aims at expanding Japan’s diplomatic base by spotting knowledgeable Japan-friendly individuals and by strengthening communication via the grassroots activities of outgoing participants.      
• Japan Bowl is a trivia contest which started in 1992 that tests participants’ knowledge of Japanese language and culture. This year’s Japan Bowl invitation was awarded to the American and Canadian high school contest winners.