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INTERNATIONAL EXHANGE POLICY
Opening Up Shizuoka to the World
With
the growing number of foreigners in the prefecture and more residents
traveling abroad or working with overseas partners, Shizuoka is keen to
encourage international exchanges at all levels and has put in place an
International Strategy Council to address this issue. Shizuoka’s
population of resident foreigners nearly doubled from 1994 to 2004,
growing from 46,566 to 91,113. The largest single contingent comes from
Brazil, followed by the Philippines, China, Korea, and Peru. The
opening of the new Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport in 2009 will further open
up the prefecture to the world and help make Shizuoka better known
overseas.
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Active Overseas Ties
Shizuoka
Prefecture has worked to build up its relationship with a number of
countries or regions. There has been a 25-year friendship tie with
China's Zhejiang Province that has encompassed economics, education and
culture. In 2007, the prefecture opens a representative office in
Seoul, South Korea. There have also been long-term relationships with
Britain's West Midlands region, and several U.S. states, including
exchanges between the world-famous Research Triangle Park of North
Carolina and the Shizuoka Cancer Center. International exchange also
consists of hosting world-class international events such as the FIA
Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, held at Fuji International Speedway, the
Shizuoka World Junior Football Tournament, and the International Skills
Festival for All.
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Fostering Constructive Contact
At
the grassroots level, the most effective way to build up international
understanding is to encourage direct contacts between people in a
variety of settings. Shizuoka does this through a number of approaches.
The prefecture takes full advantage of the government’s Japan Exchange
and Teaching Program (JET) and currently has close to 150 young foreign
teachers working in its schools. Since 1991, a business internship
program has been bringing in overseas university students for two-month
stays, and there is also a program to host trainees from developing
countries. The Fujinokuni Friendship Ambassador has also been set up to
encourage foreign students to share their own culture and traditions
with the residents of the prefecture.
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Fujinokuni Friendship Ambassadors exchange their views.
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