On Occasion of Birthday of First Secretary Kim Jong Un
"Early Spring Arts Evening for Japan-DPRK Friendship" Held in Japan

   To celebrate the birthday of First Secretary Kim Jong Un, an "Early Spring Arts Evening for Japan-DPRK Friendship" was held on January 8, 2015 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture on the auspices of the Executive Committee for it.
   Gathering there were Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI, and office-bearers of the Japan National Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism including Prof. Emeritus Kamakura Takao at Saitama University and Prof. Emeritus Ie Masaji at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies.
   In spite of being a weekday event, the venue was filled to overflowing with workers, youth and students not only from the local areas but also from all over Japan, who are studying the Juche idea, aspiring after the promotion of friendship between Japan and the DPRK.

   It was in Nagoya that in last September the Tokai Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism (TLCSKK) was formed with its office-bearers from different walks of life including municipal assemblyman, singer, and advocate.
   Since the formation of it, preparations for holding a Japan-DPRK arts event on January 8, 2015 had been made by those concerned in an effort to celebrate the birthday of First Secretary Kim Jong Un, to disseminate Kimilsung-Kimjongilism among the broad masses of the people and thus to advance their activities for making Japan independent and peaceful.
   It was close cooperation and contact among those who are the founding members of the TLCSKK, Juche idea researchers in the Tokai region and the rest of the country, and the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan that made it possible to overcome numerous problems arising in the process of the preparations. Thus, they came to meet the very day of the performance.
   The success in the arts event provided the broad masses of the people with an opportunity to share the conviction and determination to be with First Secretary Kim Jong Un who proclaimed Kimilsung-Kimjongilism to the world and is now leading the era of independence.

   Songs at the first part of the arts event bore the people's desire for the promotion of Japan-DPRK friendship; and then those of the second part of it carried their warm sentiments toward President Kim Il Sung, General Secretary Kim Jong Il and First Secretary Kim Jong Un in their struggles for people's independence.
   Beautiful images were projected against the backdrop of the stage to match those songs.
   The first part of the arts event was opened up with a vocal solo of enka (traditional-style Japanese popular songs) by Ms. Toyama Yoko, singer, who is also secretary general of the Japan-DPRK Association for the Exchanges of Arts and Culture.
   She talked about the background of her choice of the first song entitled "Kenka-Goma (Two spinning tops)" in such a way that she wanted to make it sure that the DPRK used to be a friendly neighbor to Japan with a long history of having good relationships, although it is now said to be a close yet far country to Japan.
   Next, with deep respect and thanks, she sang a song entitled "The Thirteenth Night," an original song sung by Ms. Ogasawara Mitsuko, president emeritus of the Japan-DPRK Society for the Exchanges of Music and Arts, who gave her an opportunity to involve in the Japan-DPRK friendship movement.
   Next, she sang a song entitled "Flowers for Your Heart" with a thought: the relationships between Japan and the DPRK has got colder at the moment as if it were in a cold winter, but someday I would like to cause such flowers to bloom as the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
   A song entitled "The Rock Breaking Cherry Tree" describes an actual tree growing by breaking the rock that produces a large number of blooms each year in spite of being hit by the storm, snows and earthquakes. It was sung by her with determination that no matter difficult the current bilateral relationships of the two countries seems to be, she will endeavor to improve it with a belief in the bright future awaiting us.

   In the second part of the arts event, Korean dances by the Korean Singing and Dancing Troupe of Tokai were performed along with solos sung by Ms. Toyama Yoko like "Arirang," "Balsams," "Tumen River in Tears," and "Nostalgia," and a song "The Star of Korea" sung by a chorus group of Korean residents in Japan.
   Those songs described changes from the period of the time when a Star of hope had arisen before the Korean people who had started their struggles to regain their homeland under the dark era of colonialism occupied by the Japanese imperialism into that of the time when the Star had become the great Sun afterwards.
   Then, sung were songs expressing the emotions of the Korean people who have continued respect for President Kim Il Sung, General Secretary Kim Jong Il and First Secretary Kim Jong Un. Sung finally were songs entitled "We cannot live without him," "Person we leave our destiny and future to," and "Footsteps" by those singers determined to keep pace with the footsteps of First Secretary Kim Jong Un leading the era of independence and follow the path of independence together with him.

   On the same day, preceding the Japan-DPRK arts event, a general assembly of the Japanese National Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism was held in the same city. Joining the meeting were members of the National Liaison Council from all over Japan including the representatives of its affiliated groups, i.e. the Kanto Liaison Council, the Kansai Liaison Council, the Okinawa Liaison Council, the Fukushima Liaison Council, the Gunma Liaison Council and the Tokai Liaison Council.
   At a Various Circles Conference on the Study of the Juche Idea and the Japan-DPRK Friendship that followed the general assembly, a message sent from the Korean Association of Social Scientists was read aloud. And Mr. So Chung On, director of Department for International Affairs and Reunification of the Headquarters of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan referred to the policies put forward by First Secretary Kim Jong Un and their characteristics in his address as a guest.
   At the conference, office-bearers of the Japanese National Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism took the floor and expressed their determination to promote the study and dissemination of this ideology in conformity with the reality of Japan.

   A Seminar on the Juche Idea to Open Up Tomorrow toward Road of Independence was held in Naha, Okinawa on January 11, 2015 under the auspices of the Okinawa Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism.
   Joining there were Juche idea researchers, university professors, workers, youths and students from Okinawa and the rest of the country.
   In his opening address, looking back on the history of struggles of the Okinawans Prof. Emeritus Sakugawa Seiichi at Okinawa University, president of the Okinawa Liaison Council said: We of the Okinawans have established the rights of our self-determination, or our independence through our struggles of the whole of this Okinawa's island. The current situation of Okinawa requires us to learn from the Juche idea and realize peace on this island. When we try to ensure our right of self-determination, the Juche idea can be relied on as our guiding principle.
   In his lecture, Dr. Ri Yong Su, dean of the Department of Literature and History, Korea University in Japan who is also chairman of the Korean Social Scientists Association in Japan pointed out that the most important exploit made by First Secretary Kim Jong Un in his ideo-theoretical activities was the original elucidation of the essence of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism and that he formalized it into the people-first doctrine.
   Prof. Emeritus Taira Ken-ichi at Okinawa University and Associate Prof. Sudoh Yoshihito at Okinawa University presented their studies concerned.
   After the seminar, a dancing event took place with performances of Yaeyama dances.