News

During the concert held to mark the Japanese Government’s cultural support for Lithuania, which took place on 26 May at the Lithuanian Academy of Music, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis congratulated the strengthening relations between Lithuania and Japan and thanked the Japanese Government for constant support offered to the Lithuanian institutions of culture. Rector of the Lithuanian Academy of Music Juozas Antanavičius and Japan’s Ambassador to Lithuania Gotaro Ogawa also delivered speeches at the ceremony. Following the notes signed by the Lithuanian and Japanese Governments in 2002, the Japanese Government allocated 1.5 million Litas, for which the Lithuanian Academy of Music has purchased twelve pianos, 28 wind instruments, 31 sets of percussion instruments and various accessories. This was the fifth and so far the biggest support of the Japanese Government to Lithuania’s culture and science. The Japanese Government provides support for Lithuanian institutions of culture annually. In 1997 it was given to the National Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis Art Museum, in 1999 – to the National Martynas Mažvydas Library, in 2000 – to the Centre of Orientalistics of University Vilnius, in 2001 – to the Japanese Language Centre of Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University and in 2003 – to the Lithuanian National Museum. Japan is the only donor country, devoting an exceptional attention to Lithuania’s culture.