To enhance cultural and academic cooperation between Turkey and Japan, a new project "İki Doğu'nun Köprüsü: Tasavvuf Kültürü Eğitim Programı" (The Bridge of Two Easts: Education Program for Sufi Culture) has been initiated by bringing together academic and research institutions from Turkey and Japan. 

On Thursday, May 26, the first day of the G7 Summit, Mr. and Mrs. Abe accompanied the world’s leaders and their spouses on a visit to the Shinto spiritual origin of Japan known as Ise Jingu (Ise Grand Shrine) [...] to emphasize Japan’s spiritual core at a shrine noted for its natural beauty and not national politics like that of Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo that rattles nerves throughout Northeast Asia. 

Receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award this year are Chinese-Japanese artist couple RongRong & inri, who are based between Beijing and Kyoto, straddling two dynamic contemporary photography scenes.