Japanese Government provides language, cultural centre

The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Kaoru Yoshimura, has inaugurated a Japanese language and cultural centre at the Mary Star of the Sea International School at Kasoa in the Central Region.

The $30,000 project was funded by the Government of Japan under the Japan Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Cultural Projects.

In an address, Mr Yoshimura said the number of Ghanaians learning the Japanese language had been growing and it was, therefore, important to have a Japanese language and cultural centre to help teachers and students learning Japanese have a real experience of the Japanese culture at their doorstep.

He said the project was going to open a new door of friendship between the peoples of Japan and Ghana.

Relevance of the centre

He said the completion of the centre would not only serve people of the school, but also like other projects such as the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD) at the University of Ghana, Care Guide Montessori in Gbawe, Accra, Good Shepherd Academy and Christ Way International School both at Old Kasoa Barrier in Accra, the centre would be opened to individuals and groups learning the Japanese language and culture and also to people in the surrounding communities who were interested in the language.

He noted that one important area of Japan’s diplomacy was cultural diplomacy in the form of cultural exchanges, which he said played an important role in bringing understanding and contributing to peace and security in the world.

The Headmistress of Mary Star of the Sea International School, Madam Mary Ekenlebie, thanked the government of Japan for making it possible for the centre to be established and pledged the school’s readiness in ensuring that the centre became a place of excellence in the learning of Japanese in the country.