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Belarusian neighborhood built in Japan’s Okinawa

01.07.2020

A neighborhood of wooden houses from Belarus’ Shklov has been built in the city of Uruma in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Embassy in Japan.

“Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Japan Ruslan Yesin took part in the official ceremony to open the Belarusian neighborhood in Okinawa, in the city of Uruma,” the embassy noted. “The ceremony featured Japanese MPs Hiromichi Watanabe and Shinpei Matsushita, Uruma Mayor Toshio Shimabukuro, representatives of regional businesses, public associations, and mass media outlets.

Two years ago, the Belarusian Embassy in Japan in cooperation with the Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee and the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom organized a visit of a Japanese business delegation to Domostroyenie subsidiary of Shklov Newsprint Mill, which resulted in the launch of this project. The Japanese businessmen were attracted by high quality, eco-friendly properties, and competitive prices of Belarusian wooden products. Under the project, Belarus shipped to Okinawa frame house kits.

At the ceremony, Ruslan Yesin and Hiromichi Watanabe discussed matters of the Belarusian-Japanese cooperation. The parties confirmed readiness to continue joint work in economy, including in looking got new forms of trade in the wake of the pandemic. They also considered the possibility to supply humanitarian aid from Japan to help Belarus deal with the coronavirus.

Ruslan Yesin also met with Governor of Okinawa Prefecture Denny Tamaki in Naha. The governor welcomed the positive dynamics of cooperation between Belarusian and Okinawan companies, and congratulated on the opening of the Belarusian neighborhood in Okinawa. The governor expressed the hope that this pilot project will give impetus to other joint initiatives not only in economy but also in youth exchange, tourism, culture and sports.

The Belarusian diplomat suggested using Belarusian houses for the emergency reserves, using Belarusian linen to make traditional Okinawan clothing, and supplying domestic dairy products to regional retail networks. Proposals to organize a forum “Belarus-Okinawa” and a business mission from the Japanese prefecture to Belarus, youth exchanges between the two countries, tours of theater and other companies were positively received by the Japanese governor.

The Belarusian ambassador also visited the Peace Memorial Complex commemorating the World War II victims.

BELARUSIAN NEWS

Mogilev region administration