Fringe Japan opening speech
令和3年8月20日
Ladies and Gentleman,
I am extremely pleased to be introducing to you this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe Japan programme, the great showcase for Japanese performers to virtually participate in world famous Edinburgh Fringe and another opportunity for our audiences to know more about Japan in addition to Tokyo Olympic.
I would like to thank Ms Madoka Yamashita and Mr Yuuya Ishizone for successfully continuing this showcase, originally started two years ago when I hosted a small reception in the centre of Edinburgh packed with so many people coming from all over the world to participate in Fringe.
Japanese performers did great jobs in that reception in attracting high scores from the audience and after this pandemic started, that reception has grown to the first online Japanese showcase during last year’s Fringe as a collaboration between The Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh and performer/ arts promoter duo, MyCreate.
Each year we have seen a steady increase in the number of Japanese performers with the standard of performances across the creative spectrum going from strength to strength. This year's acts are a great sampler of what the contemporary Japanese arts community has to offer internationally.
I wish all of this year's participants a fantastic Fringe experience and look forward to seeing the programme grow in the coming years.
Thank you all for listening, please enjoy this year's Fringe Japan programme.
I am extremely pleased to be introducing to you this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe Japan programme, the great showcase for Japanese performers to virtually participate in world famous Edinburgh Fringe and another opportunity for our audiences to know more about Japan in addition to Tokyo Olympic.
I would like to thank Ms Madoka Yamashita and Mr Yuuya Ishizone for successfully continuing this showcase, originally started two years ago when I hosted a small reception in the centre of Edinburgh packed with so many people coming from all over the world to participate in Fringe.
Japanese performers did great jobs in that reception in attracting high scores from the audience and after this pandemic started, that reception has grown to the first online Japanese showcase during last year’s Fringe as a collaboration between The Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh and performer/ arts promoter duo, MyCreate.
Each year we have seen a steady increase in the number of Japanese performers with the standard of performances across the creative spectrum going from strength to strength. This year's acts are a great sampler of what the contemporary Japanese arts community has to offer internationally.
I wish all of this year's participants a fantastic Fringe experience and look forward to seeing the programme grow in the coming years.
Thank you all for listening, please enjoy this year's Fringe Japan programme.