The message reads, in part:
“This year, the festival is an integral part of the crossover years of Russia and Japan, which are being held for the first time in the history of our countries. As such, its programme is especially extensive and diverse.
Residents of dozens of Japanese cities will have an opportunity to attend theatre and ballet performances, premieres of feature films and documentaries, and concerts by symphony and pop orchestras, folk and circus groups. The visual arts will be the most widely represented: a series of exhibitions from the collections of the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Museum, the Hermitage and other leading Russian museums are planned.
Such large-scale cultural events will, without a doubt, give a significant boost to the development of Russian-Japanese people-to-people ties and help expand direct contacts between the citizens of our countries.
From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank all those who took part in the preparation of the Festival. I wish new creative success to its participants and unforgettable impressions to guests.”