Alsace/Japan
Alsace/Japan inter-territorial cooperation
from Osaka to Aichi
Alsace has a long history of inter-territorial cooperation with Japan. If the first economic cooperation in 1863 began with the Osaka region, it is in the Department of Aichi that Alsace has anchored its strongest regional relationship in Japan with the installation of its representative office in 1982. .
This Alsace office still exists. It is located in the City of Nagoya and makes the link with all of our economic, tourist and cultural partners in Japan. It is run by Junko Goto, who was already working there when Mr. and Mrs. Tominaga ran it.
In the 1980s, cooperation between the Department of Haut-Rhin and Aichi developed. An Alsatian house from Sundgau was donated to the Little World Museum of Man in Inuyama, located a few kilometers from Nagoya. She was transported by ship to Japan.
Each year, an Alsatian woman signs a one-year work contract with the museum, to represent Alsace there. In the Museum's Alsace shop, many Alsatian products (wines, souvenirs, cheeses, etc.) are sold. The media often make reports and animations there. In this museum, the only French region to be represented is Alsace and only three regions of Europe are present.
Gifu Prefecture
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of relations between Alsace and Japan (2013-2014), numerous cooperation agreements were signed with the Department of Gifu, in particular at the opening of the International Tourism and Travel Fair at the Parc des Expositions in Colmar in November 2014:
- Agreement between the Hida sake route and the Alsace Wine RouteAgreement between the Department of Gifu and the Department of Haut-Rhin, which is now extended to the European Community of AlsaceAgreement between the City of Takayama and the City of ColmarAgreement between the City of Shirakawa-go and the City of Riquewihr
These agreements have made it possible in particular to boost the export of Colmar wines to Japan, but also to introduce beef from Gifu in Alsace. Jean Yves Schillinger was the first restaurateur in France to receive certification from the Governor of Gifu for the preparation of Gifu beef in his restaurant JY'S.
The City of Takayama has taken part in the Christmas markets in Colmar several times and the City of Colmar organized a Colmar Expo in 2016 in Takayama, to promote Colmar products there.
This is how naturally in December 2020, Takayama applied to host an Alsatian Christmas market each year, the first Alsatian Christmas market in the region of Japan. The 2020 edition was able to be maintained despite the health crisis.
The Governor of Gifu came several times to Alsace for many events. In particular, he participated in the gourmet march organized by the airline ANA in Alsace in September 2017, from the CEEJA to Kientzheim to Riquewihr, in the presence of many delegations who came especially from Japan.
Iwate Prefecture
Alsace has also initiated cooperation with the Department of Iwate and the City of Morioka since July 2009.
In December 2010, a first cooperation in the field of crafts led to the realization of an event on the art of iron, a tradition of the City of Morioka in Colmar.
In 2012, in Japan, an action on Alsace wines was offered to Morioka in cooperation with CIVA.
Since 2014, the Department of Iwate has regularly participated in the Colmar International Tourism and Travel Fair with a stand presenting Iwate's artistic craftsmanship, in particular lacquer.
In addition, the Governor of Iwate requested support from CEEJA to facilitate discussions between France and Japan concerning the international linear collider project planned for the Tôhoku region.
Governor of the Department of Iwate in Paris at the Maison de l'Alsace with the President of the CEEJA/Cluster JapanTech Grand Est
The City of Strasbourg and the City of Kagoshima
In 2019, the cities of Strasbourg and Kagoshima signed a cooperation agreement relating to youth, urban public transport, culture and heritage, sport, economic exchanges and policies in favor of seniors.
Representatives from Kagoshima have been welcomed to Strasbourg since the 2000s on the theme of urban public transport. Since the signing of the agreement, several projects have emerged:
- At the end of 2020, the city of Kagoshima took the initiative to make its partnership with Strasbourg known to its citizens by decorating one of its trams crossing the city center in the colors of the city of Strasbourg. between the city of Kagoshima and the Jean Monnet high school in Strasbourg and the first reception in Strasbourg took place in 2019. The cycling endurance project across Japan, "Japanese Odyssey", mounted by Strasbourg cyclists, was put implemented for the 2019 edition with the cooperation of Kagoshima, the starting city of the route. The city of Kagoshima also participated in the mail art exchange project in Strasbourg entitled “Mailart”.
Exchange around Japanese archery "kyûdô", during which the Kyûdô Club of the Lycée Gyokuryû (Kagoshima) and several archers from Strasbourg took part as part of the Olympic and Paralympic Day organized in Strasbourg on June 26, 2021 .
On January 13, 2022, a meeting between the Mayor of Kagoshima and the Mayor of Strasbourg was organized by videoconference due to the health crisis.
Source : Strasbourg.eu
ANA airline and
Onsen Gastronomy Tourism Association
The CEEJA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the airline "All Nippon Airways" ANA in 2015, thus allowing Alsace to establish a lasting relationship with a partner of excellence in the field of tourism.
ANA is at the origin of the idea of signing inter-territorial cooperation agreements between the Department of Haut-Rhin and the Department of Gifu.
As part of this cooperation with ANA, several events took place in Japan and Alsace, including the big "Fureai Walk" in 2017, in the presence of numerous delegations from several regions of Japan.
During the 2017 walk, ANA discovered the concept of gourmet walks in Alsace and decided to export the concept to Japan by combining it with an "onsen" (thermal) offer. This is how the Onsen Gastronomy Tourism association was created in 2016 in Japan, which has developed gourmet markets based on the Alsace model in all regions of Japan.
Following this, the Onsen Gastronomy Tourism association signed a cooperation agreement in 2017 with Alsace Destination Tourisme and the CEEJA in order to go further together for the development of new Alsace – Japan tourist projects.
Signature of the cooperation agreement with Alsace Destination Tourisme and the CEEJA in 2017 in Colmar
Realized by:
