Message from Mr. Akira Ouchi, Consul General of Japan in Karachi
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I would like to make a report on the activities carried out by the Consulate-General of Japan from late May till July this year as
written below.
On May 31, the Japanese Koto and Shamisen concert titled “Japanese Traditional Music and Improvisation” was held, with
the attendance of Her Excellency Ms. Sharmila Farooqui, Minister for Culture and Tourism and Special Assistant to the Chief
Minister, Sindh, as the Chief Guest. This concert was co-organized by the Consulate-General of Japan in Karachi, National
Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) and Pakistan Japan Cultural Association- Sindh (PJCA), in cooperation with Pearl
Continental Hotel, Karachi. Ms. Sumie Kaneko, internationally-recognized Koto and Shamisen player, had especially come
to Karachi for the performance. She not only played traditional Japanese music but also collaborated with the musicians of NAPA
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and the maestro of Surando. The concert was a great success with the attendance of about 300 people. It greatly contributed to the promotion of cultural
exchange and friendship between Japan and Pakistan.
On June 3, I attended the Inauguration Ceremony of Neurospinal & Cancer Care Institute as the Chief Guest. The institute was established by M. Hashim
Memorial Trust. Dr. M. Hashim, who is the founder of M. Hashim Memorial Trust and also an alumnus of Japanese Government scholarship, set up the
medical institute which has treated 3,000 cancer patients, including 60 % of them who are the poor have been treated free of charge for the past 5 years.
This new institute is an expansion of the existing medical institute and is expected to treat more patients in the future.
On June 5, 31st Urdu Haiku Mushaira and 1st Urdu Waka Mushaira was organized by PJCA at the Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Institute of Technology.
I attended the event as the Chief Guest. The event was the 31st anniversary of Haiku Mushaira since 1983 and the first Waka Mushaira in Karachi.
Over 30 poets participated in the event and presented their works of Haiku/Waka in Urdu.
The period from June 19 to July 17 was the month of Ramadan this year. And the Eid holiday was from July 17 to 21. Heat wave hit Sindh province,
including Karachi in late June, causing a lot of casualties. I would like to express my deepest condolences to the victims and their families and relatives. In
late July, storm hit Pakistan, causing a lot of damage and casualties. “Humanitarian Response Facilities”, set up by WFP with the financial contribution from
some countries including Japan, has been utilized for emergency assistance.
July, 2015
Akira Ouchi
Consul-General of Japan in Karachi
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