Events
Japan launches J-Pop Anime singing tilt anew to mark RP-Japan Friendship Day
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Mar 4, 2010 - 3:17:18 PM

By Gloria Jane Baylon

MANILA, March 5 (PNA)--The annual Philippines-Japan Friendship Month in July will be celebrated with the Japanese embassy in Manila holding for the second time the successful and much-in-demand J-Pop Anime Singing Competition across the Philippines.

The grand final is calendared on July 24, Saturday, at the Cyberzone Event Center, SM North EDSA, Quezon City, the embassy said.

Registration has opened and application forms to register for the contest are available at the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) Library, Embassy of Japan, 2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City or can be downloaded at www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp. Registration ends on May 20.

Philippines-Japan Friendship Month used to be held in February but is now celebrated in July to commemorate the designation of July 23 as “Philippines-Japan Friendship Day” by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2006. That year was the Golden Jubilee of diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

The contest is one of the month-long activities in July. It is open to all Filipino amateur singing groups composed of three to five members. It could include a Japanese as long as the latter will play only a supporting role in the number such as being instrumentalist, back-up vocal, or dancer.

The competing groups will perform one song popularized in J-Pop or anime in the original Japanese language. Following initial screenings, 10 groups will be invited to perform at the grand finals.

Top winners will bag free lessons from Nihongo Center Foundation and Center for Pop Music Philippines and exciting prizes from Ajinomoto, Canon, Heritage Hotel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba and Yakult. At the grand finals, the participants can also enjoy special treats, courtesy of Yoshinoya restaurant.

The embassy said the contest aims to further promote appreciation of the Japanese language and culture among Filipinos and to strengthen the long-standing friendship between Japan and the Philippines.

The J-Pop and Anime Singing Contest is presented by the embassy in cooperation with the Japan Foundation-Manila in partnership with SM Supermalls, SM Cyberzone, TOEI Philippines, Nihongo Center Foundation, Center for Pop Music, Yoshinoya, Animation International Licensing Philippines, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc., Ajinomoto, Canon, Heritage Hotel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Yakult, and HERO TV and MAX FM 103.5 as media partners.

For contest mechanics and further details, please visit www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp or email jicc-mnl@ma.mofa.go.jp or call 551-5710 local 2318. (PNA)
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