The Manner of International Exchange

“Hikari-Renaissance” which a sagacious director of Osaka City Government (he has been away from the project long ago) and I started in 2002, has become thoroughly big event in Osaka recently.  And until 2008, I have mainly been producing “The World Linking Tree from Drøbak, NORWAY –symbol of peace, love and friendship-” which is one of sublime 4 Norwegian Christmas Trees as the traditional gift from Norway to abroad authorized by Norwegian Government. 

However suddenly I was completely away from the project from this year, because of a certain reason by following man. Even that, it was filled with deep emotion for me the event is so popular among citizens of Osaka, and many tourists to enjoy it, as I mentioned in this blog last year.

But now at the end, I have to disclose silly matters which is very ashamed for us Osaka citizen, and very discourteous for Norwegian people.  Since we found it last year, I and some friends of Drøbak, Frogn, Norwegian local commune have been pretended not to see it, because of avoiding influences upon honest concerned people. But in this winter “again” we began to be afraid of causing the problem by one e-mail from a officer of Osaka City government in charge of Hikari Renaissance 2010 to Mayor of Frogn commune.

Directly to say. An officer of Osaka City government had the friendship exchange program with nothing notice to partner city.  He had small “Osaka-Frogn Exchange Tree” which mentioned “memorial of exchange since 2002”, but Frogn side had not informed at all.  And what is worse, the tree was decorated as cheaper toys and ribbons, which was very far from traditional Norwegian tradition, especially for Drøbak, Frogn as sending Christmas Tree to Berlin and Osaka(ever) as sublime meaning “symbol of Peace, Love and Friendship” under the official authorization by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As well as you know well as Novel Peace Prize, “PEACE” is very special word for/from “Norway”.  It’s so discourteous for Norwegian side and so ashamed for Osaka citizen.  I would like to say “very sorry” to all the Norwegian nations as one of Osaka citizen.

And also this year, he has planed to have same project. Only difference of this year, he suddenly sent a mail to Mayor of Frogn in middle of November. However the content is just one way proposal,

"………we will plant trees in the park which locates just south to the City Hall and decorate them with illumination during the HIKARI renaissance period. ……… I can send some pictures to you after the events end. Please look forward to seeing them…" 

We thought it’s not proposal of exchange, but only a kind of command to acknowledge his own event, and so were afraid of happening last year’s nightmare. As far as my confirmation, it was only his arbitrary activity, therefore almost concerned people of Osaka City government and Osaka Hikari Renaissance Executive Committee don’t know such an ashamed matter. Therefore it is not true his mails “We”, but “I” only.

After the receiving the mail, Mayor of Frogn replied again and again not to accept his proposal. But the reply from him is mentioned “you  misunderstand..” The opening day of Osaka Hikari Renaissance is 11^th December, I heard. The day would come soon.. For those reason, I decided to disclose it. I, and also most of concerned people don’t understand why and what he is thinking so at all. However I heard it is probably revenge attacks against me because he was scolded by Mayor of Osaka connecting with my proposal letter to Mayor about Mayor’s misunderstanding at the lighting ceremony in 2008.

Would you please compare photo of his one way exchange tree with our original “The World Linking Tree as symbol of Peace, Love and Friendship”?

Even it’s a small and uninteresting things for unrelated people, however we all the people all over the world have to respect each other, and have to do anything with polite manners, especially “inter-nation”, I think strongly. If not, “Peace, Love and Friendship” will not come forever on our blue planet.

Therefore, for spreading over the concept “Peace, Love and Friendship”, we are now trying to bring “The World Linking Tree” to new suitable site……

Silver wedding Memorial in Norway

Even it's bit old matter, in the beginning of May, I took my wife to Norway for the memorial travel of our 25th anniversary of wedding.  I have visited Norway over 50 times because of my life work, "The World Linking Tree from Norway" since 1994. However for my wife, this time is quite the first time to visit Norway.  Therefore I took her to Bergen, Fjord area, and Oslo, Drøbak where is my second home town.
 In this time, I was so surprised that the most of water fall of Fjord area is still freeze.
Even famous waterfall at Kjostfossen was completely freeze. Please compare with another photo, this is same place in September 2004 when I visited with my daughter for the TV filming of NRK, Norwegian national TV station. I heard this winter to spring is historical freeze in Norway. Maybe this is also one of effects of global warming.

Talking of TV filming, in this time also I was filmed by same director.  In this time, he would like to make the documentary story of "a Japanese guy trying to bring "symbol of Peace" to Hiroshima and Nagasaki".  In the beginning of filming, I thought it would only within one hour interview.  But after starting, it took almost whole day from the morning until 20 o’clock. And more at the forest in Drøbak, he prepared rail equipment!! as following photo.

I’m so grateful for his full-scale filming, and cross my fingers the program will be on air, and anyone approves of my symbol of peace will appear.

However, I have to excuse my wife… because she was completely in the accommodation on my filming day.”Sorry!”. 
Last 1st of December, it was our 26th wedding memorial day. I'm so grateful for my kind wife, and my patience????