OSAKA -- The Yomiuri Shimbun Osaka held its first meeting to exchange views with consuls and other envoys in the Kansai region at a hotel in Kita Ward, Osaka, on Thursday.
The gathering was attended by about 30 representatives from consulates general of 15 countries, including the United States, Germany, South Korea and India.
"Kansai is the region that is drawing the most attention in Japan as, among other things, Osaka is aiming to host the World Expo 2025," said Takeshi Mizoguchi, the president of The Yomiuri Shimbun Osaka. "In June next year, the Group of 20 summit meeting will also take place in Osaka."
After Mizoguchi's welcome address, a message from Rafael Aparicio, the consul general of the Republic of Panama in Kobe, was read. Aparicio, who also heads the Kansai Consular Corps, mentioned that major events continue to be held one after the other in the Kansai region.
Kazuhide Ishikawa, the central government's ambassador in charge of the Kansai region, then proposed a toast.
During the gathering, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, the director of the Nara National Museum, spoke about the 70th Annual Exhibition of Shoso-in Treasures, which will open at the museum in Nara on Oct. 27. The consuls general and other guests listened intently to him on what to see in the exhibition. Many took occasional photographs of images of items to be exhibited projected on a screen.
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