On May 21, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mrs Akilova, and her delegation visited Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geidai) to meet with President Sawa.

The meeting started with a warm welcome by President Sawa, who went on to say that Tokyo Geidai had strong ties with Uzbekistan. To make his point, he gave an example of the late Ikuo Hirayama, former President of Tokyo Geidai (December 21, 2001 – December 20, 2005), who worked devotedly to preserve cultural assets in the Silk Road region, including Uzbekistan. He also talked about Prof. Otanazar Matyakubov of the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, who was awarded the 27th Fumio Koizumi Prize for Ethnomusicology in 2015, the award named after the late Faculty of Music professor Fumio Koizumi, in recognition of his contribution to ethnomusicology through historical research on Central Asian music. The Uzbek professor delivered a special lecture at Tokyo Geidai in 2016.

Deputy Minister Akilova responded by expressing her gratitude for the friendship between the two countries over the years. Then, she touched briefly on the purpose of her visit, saying that the new administration of Uzbekistan is promoting various cultural exchange programs such as collaborative concerts, while trying to learn from Japanese culture and educational experiences for further development of Uzbekistan, and that, therefore, she wanted to explore possibilities of collaboration with Tokyo Geidai.

To better understand the university, Deputy Minister Akilova asked about the fields of study available at Tokyo Geidai. In response, President Sawa stated that there are two Faculties – Fine Arts and Music – for undergraduate studies, as well as four Graduate Schools – Fine Arts, Music, Film and New Media, and Global Arts, which offers new programs that specialize in Art Produce, adding that all Graduate Schools have both master’s and doctoral courses.

President Sawa further stressed the ties with Uzbekistan by saying that Japanese film director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the screenwriter and director for the film currently being produced in Uzbekistan in collaboration between the two countries, is a professor from the Graduate School of Film and New Media. Then, Prof. Nagashima read a message from Prof. Kurosawa, who is now in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, for shooting the film: I am very happy to be able to work here with cooperative staff, surrounded by such magnificent nature.

President Sawa talks about areas of study at Tokyo Geidai

Prof. Nagashima conveys a message from Prof. Kurosawa

In closing, Deputy Minister Akilova expressed her wish to facilitate opportunities for cultural and information exchange as well as collaboration through holding international events with Japan, through which she hopes to learn more about art education in Japan.

After the talks, the Deputy Minister handed a catalogue of works by distinguished Uzbek artists as a gift to President Sawa, who, in return, presented her with two CD recordings of his performance as a violinist. With a firm handshake and expectations for collaboration in the future, Deputy Minister Akilova and her delegation concluded the meeting.

Deputy Minister Akilova shakes hands with President Sawa (left)

Upper row from left to right: Mr. S.Foziljonov from the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan, Prof. Nagashima from the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Mr. Kh. Haydarov from the Uzbek Embassy in Japan, Associate Prof. Yokota from the Global Support Center

Lower row from left to right: Mr. Sayfullaev from the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, President Sawa, Deputy Minister Akilov from the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan, Secretary-General Kuwabara