On December 3, the Min-On Concert Association organized a special performance honoring the 95th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cuba and Japan, an event made possible with the generous cooperation of the Cuban Embassy in Tokyo.
The “Cuba-Japan Friendship Concert” was attended by some 170 concertgoers, including Her Excellency Gisela Beatriz Garcia Rivera, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Japan, as well as representatives of foreign diplomatic missions from 12 countries.
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Cuban Ambassador Garcia and Director-General Assistant Minister Yasushi Noguchi of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau delivered opening remarks.
In his speech, Assistant Minister Noguchi emphasized that while formal ties between their two countries go back 95 years, the bonds of mutual respect and cooperation actually extend for more than 400 years.
Next, Seino Shiro, one of the foremost agents bringing Latin American culture, particularly Cuba, to Japanese audiences, gave a presentation on Cuban music in Japan that included historically valuable film footage introducing the rich history of the genre as well as its many attractions.
For the event’s concert segment, nine renowned musicians who helped popularize Cuban music in Japan gathered to form the special ensemble “Orquesta Aniversario”: trumpet player Luis Valle, Minoru Ohtaka on trombone, vocalist Noriko Kishi, pianist and musical director Ken Morimura, flautist Rie Akagi, bassist Tetsuo Koizumi, percussionist Yoshihiko Miza, violinist Azusa Morimura and percussionist Takumi Higo.
In addition, two acclaimed Cuban dancers—Mika Takenaga and Osmel Lapera—took part in the performance.
Among the compositions Orquesta Aniversario played were “Decidete Mi Amor,” “Cuba Linda” and “Mambo No.5,” accompanied by songs and dances that the concertgoers expressed enthusiastic approval. 
Min-On wishes to thank its sustaining members for making this and other association initiatives possible.
