President Ma Ying-jeou met with the eminent Japanese glass artist Kuniaki Kuroki on the afternoon of May 22 at the Presidential Office and expressed a warm welcome to Mr. Kuroki on his visit to Taiwan to promote cultural interaction between the two countries.
The president commented that Mr. Kuroki is highly esteemed in Japan and has won many important awards in recognition of his excellence in the area of glass arts, including the Contemporary Master Craftsman honor, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, and Japan's Spring Medal.
President Ma said the government here has designated 2009 as "The Year to Foster the Special Partnership between Taiwan and Japan," and that cultural interaction is an important part of this project. In order to promote cultural exchanges, the government is considering establishing a cultural center in Tokyo and also hopes to pave the way for the National Palace Museum to hold an exhibition in Japan. Meanwhile, he noted that a working holiday visa system will take effect on June 1 that will enable young people from either nation to work for extended periods in the other. The president remarked that Japan has exhibited a deep interest in Taiwan puppet theatre and Taiwanese opera, both of which are full of local culture and flavor. These are other areas in which interaction can be strengthened in the future, he said.
President Ma said that over 2.5 million visits are made by the people of Taiwan and Japan to the other each year. Charter flights operate between 10 cities in the two countries, and these close transportation ties will help foster new horizons in cultural interaction between the two in the future, he said. On this visit, Mr. Kuroki will engage in artistic exchanges with Tittot and Liuli Gongfang, helping to increase the depth and breadth of artistic interaction. This will also mark a new starting point in promoting cultural interaction between Japan and Taiwan, he said.
Mr. Kuroki expressed his appreciation to President Ma for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. He added that since 2000 when he was invited by the Hsinchu City Government to hold an exhibition here, he has had an opportunity each year to display his work in Taiwan. He said he has developed a close relationship with Taiwan and hopes to continue to exchange experiences with Taiwan glass artisans in the future, enabling cultural interaction between the two countries to become even closer.