One of the purposes of this e-mail list is to keep members informed about current events in Japanese-Islamic relations. This newsletter and the next one are announcements from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

SEMINAR SERIES TO UNDERSTAND THE MIDDLE EAST AND ISLAM
June 3, 2005

1) A seminar in the Series to Understand the Middle East and Islam, co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Miyagi Prefecture and the Japan Foundation, will be held in Miyagi on July 5 (Tue) at Sendai Mediatheque, in cooperation with Miyagi International Association and the Middle East Institute of Japan.

2) At the seminar, H. E. Dr. Ghanim Alwan Al-Jumaily, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Japan, and Professor Chizuko Tominaga of Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, will give lectures, followed by question and answer sessions and discussion with the audience, including students from the Middle Eastern countries.

3) The 9-11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the use of force against Iraq and other factors have heightened public interest in Japan toward the Middle Eastern and Islamic countries. In this situation, it is important for the people of both Japan and the Middle Eastern and Islamic countries to gain a correct understanding, from various viewpoints, of the relations of the two regions and the culture and philosophy of each Middle Eastern and Islamic country, in order to foster the establishment of a relationship between the two regions based on mutual understanding. In consideration of the significance of this issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been conducting since last year a Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East and Islam in regional cities of Japan. It is also expected that through such occasions, interchanges between students from Middle Eastern countries studying in the cities and the local people will be further promoted.

4) The Seminar Series took place last year in Okayama on May 28, in Yamagata on July 25, in Osaka on September 27, in Hokkaido on November 29, and in Hiroshima on February 6. The upcoming event will be the sixth.