Denpasar, Japan cooperate in education and culture

Denpasar (Antaranews Bali) - Denpasar city Government, Bali, has established cooperation with Japan since the past, especially in the fields of education and culture, through a number of state universities.

The founder of Mataken Gakko, IGK Pujawan, in a meeting with Denpasar Secretary, Anak Agung Rai Iswara, stated here on Tuesday that the cooperation was getting closer as a number of universities in Japan were taking turns to come to Denpasar to provide Japanese language courses to the people of Bali.

He noted, on this occasion, that Tottori University had sent four students, namely Tatsuya Fukuda, Satoko Ichihashi, Ayumi Ohashi, and Yuka Tajima, to teach Japanese at Mataken Gakko in Tohpati, Denpasar City.

"Therefore, I want to emphasize to the students the important role of Denpasar Government in supporting this program," he remarked.

Besides teaching Japanese, the Japanese students also learn the cultures of Bali by following some traditional processions, such as the Seclusion Day, which started from Malasti ceremony to `the silent night.`

This activity helps in increasing the number of Japanese visitors to Bali.

"The Japanese are very happy and appreciate the Balinese people who celebrate the Seclusion Day with great solemnity," he revealed.

Regional Secretary of Denpasar City, Rai Iswara, thanked the Japanese students for teaching language courses for Balinese people.

According Iswara, the cooperation between Bali and Japan was getting stronger through this program. Moreover, he even became the manager at Pasemetonan of Denpasar-Fukuoka.

He hoped the culture acculturation could be conducted due to the Japanese students who live in Bali. It is because the main concern of the culture is education.

In addition to education and culture, Iswara also hoped that Denpasar City could, in the future, establish cooperation with Japan in another sector, such as agriculture, especially in terms of farming and accelerating superior seeds.

He further pointed out that the arrival of students from Tottori University could make them the ambassadors of Denpasar in order to promote the culture and tourism of Denpasar in Japan.

By being a Denpasar ambassador, the Japanese students can also influence their colleagues, which might increase the number of tourists to Denpasar to around 100 people.

A student, namely Tatsuya Fukuda, expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome by the Denpasar City Government.

He was proud and happy to teach Japanese to the local people in Denpasar, Bali.

"We also want to know the culture of Bali besides teaching Japanese here. Then, we would be able to socialize Balinese cultures in Japan, considering that Bali and Japan have similar cultures," he conveyed. (*)