Japan’s Princess Kako is coming to Greece!

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni welcomed the Japanese ambassador to Greece, Koichi Ito, to her office yesterday. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, the meeting took place at a special juncture for Greek-Japanese relations.

The “Year of Culture and Tourism of Greece and Japan” is already underway, and in a few days, Princess Kako of Japan will arrive in Greece as an official guest.

The princess’s program includes visits to most places of cultural interest, such as the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Holy Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni Salamina and the Museum of Asian Art in Corfu.

On Monday, Princess Kako will be the guest of honour at an official ceremony at the National Gallery to celebrate the Year of Culture and Tourism and the 125th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and Japan. The ceremony will be held in the presence of the Ministers of Culture, Lina Mendoni, Tourism, Olga Kefalogiannis, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexandra Papadopoulou.

Lina Mendoni will then host a dinner in honour of the princess.

In addition to this important cooperation – the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – proof of the excellent relations between the two countries, the minister and the ambassador referred to the events planned in Greece and Japan as part of the Year of Culture and Tourism, as well as the prospect of concluding, of a new updated agreement on cultural cooperation between Greece and Japan.

Lina Mendoni expressed to the ambassador her appreciation for Japanese culture and her desire to deepen bilateral cooperation in traditional arts and crafts and exchange exhibitions and know-how.

The exchanges between ancient Greek drama and traditional Japanese theatre and the promotion of modern Japanese architecture in Greece were also discussed.