levels.
12
Since I arrived here one and a half years ago, a number of
prominent Japanese figures have visited Hong Kong. For example a
number of high ranking politicians have come to Hong Kong, in-
cluding Mr. Hata, whom I mentioned, and former Prime Minister
Toshiki Kaifu. In turn, a number of prominent Hong Kong figures
have visited Japan, including the Governor,
Mr. Patten, who
travelled to Japan last November.
At business level, we have the Japan-Hong Kong, and the Hong
Kong-Japan joint business cooperation committees which hold
annual meetings to further enhance our business relationship. We
expect to have the next round of meetings in December this year
here in Hong Kong.
Cultural
relations are also expanding and improving. In
February a Japan Festival, which included the Grand Sumo competi-
tion,
was held here. It is the very first endeavor of this kind
in Hong Kong. As well as
as the incredibly popular sumo, the festi-
val included exhibitions, demonstrations of tea ceremonies and
Japanese flower arrangement, and concerts and modern theatre
performances. More than 38 thousand Hong Kong people visited and
enjoyed different events at the festival, and thus the aim of the