Toshima City Selected as Candidate City for
“Culture City of East Asia 2019”
Since 2014, one city from Japan, one from China and one from South Korea have been selected as “Culture City of East Asia.” Toshima City has been selected as the sixth Japanese city, following Yokohama (2014), Niigata (2015), Nara (2016), Kyoto (2017) and Kanazawa (2018). An official announcement will be made at the Japan-China-ROK Culture Ministers’ Meeting set for 2018, together with the cities selected from China and South Korea.
Press Release
Comments from Toshima City’s Mayor
To be part of the “Culture City of East Asia” program was just what Toshima City had always hoped for as a city with the motto “International City of Arts & Culture.” We became a candidate city for 2019 because we believe participating in this program is the culmination of our various cultural policies and can serve as a spark for promoting our status as an international city.
With 2019 just a year before the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, having the event in Toshima City when the world’s attention will be focused on Tokyo is the perfect opportunity to inform the world about the attractive qualities of our city. Until now, this program has been conducted in leading cultural cities of Japan. To ensure that the event is a success, Toshima City will work together on preparations with all Toshima residents and the assistance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
August 8, 2017
What Is the “Culture City of East Asia” Program?
“Culture Cities of East Asia” is a program that aims for growth through cultural arts. Based on agreement at the Japan-China-ROK Culture Ministers’ Meeting, the three countries of Japan, China and South Korea each select one city. Those cities present various cultural art events related to modern cultural arts, traditional cultural arts, and diverse everyday cultures. These activities develop and shape mutual understanding and a sense of unity, strengthening the spread of diverse East Asian cultures to the world.
The cities selected for the program make the most of this opportunity and their unique qualities, and also strive to expand and improve programs by promoting cultural arts, creative industries and tourism.
Year Japan China South Korea
2014 Yokohama Quanzhou Gwangju
2015 Niigata Qingdao Cheongju
2016 Nara Ningbo AdministrativeJeju Special Province
2017 Kyoto Changsha Daegu
2018 Kanazawa Undecided Busan
2019 Toshima Undecided Undecided Culture Cities of East Asia to Date (includes candidate cities) Issued by: Toshima City
Public Relations Section
2015 Niigata 2016 Nara 2017 Kyoto
In progress
Kanazawa
Japanese candidate city
Toshima
Japanese candidate city
