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Embassy of Switzerland in Japan

N° 1

December 2016

Merry Christmas

and Happy

New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ©Switzerland Tourism

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Ambassador’s Greetings

Dear Swiss citizens in Japan, dear readers,

Having started my mission as the new Swiss Ambassador to Japan last September, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to send you this Newsletter of the Swiss Embassy in Tokyo.

Before my present mission in Japan, I was the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary. We had a wonderful time with my wife in Budapest, and we are looking forward to the wonderful years here in Tokyo.

The relations between Switzerland and Japan are excellent. There are so many common interests that the intensity of dialogue is high and reciprocal visits are frequent. In the three months since the beginning of my mission last September, we had several official visits, such as the visits of the Swiss Secretary of State for economic affairs Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, the Head of Presence Suisse Ambassador Nicolas Bideau and the President of the Council of States of Switzerland Raphaël Comte. Next year in March, the

Parliamentary friendship group of the Swiss National Assembly under the Presidency of National Counsellor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter will visit Japan.

The bilateral relations are also intense at the level of the private sector and of the local communities. 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the Swiss Club Tokyo, the 40th anniversary of the city partnership between Ueda and Davos, the 20th anniversary of the city partnership between Chiba and Montreux, the 50th anniversary of UBS’s presence in Japan, and the 40th anniversary of Swiss Tourism’s presence in Japan. Congratulations to all our partners for these anniversaries. In this newsletter, we present many more visits and events, be it in the business, in the science and technology or in the cultural sectors. Indeed, the relations between Switzerland and Japan are not only excellent, but they are also very strong, because they develop at so many levels.

The contact with the Swiss community in Japan is a priority for your Swiss Embassy in Tokyo. This newsletter tries to inform you as much as possible about the main developments in the bilateral relations and to give you the possibility of participating in cultural events related to our country. Besides our Internet Website, our cultural newsletter and our Facebook page, this Embassy Newsletter is a further instrument in our efforts to promote the contacts with you. Don’t hesitate to give us your feedback!

Let me conclude: it is great to be with you in Japan and there is plenty of good work that I am looking forward to realizing in your company. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Warm regards.

Jean-François Paroz

Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan

Ambassador Jean-

François Paroz ©FDFA

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Contents

Bilateral relations & visits

Economic news & Swiss Business Hub

Science, education, research & innovation

Press and culture

Upcoming events

Swiss community

Contact

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Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch

© SECO

Bilateral relations and visits

State Secretary for Economic Affairs visits Japan

The economic relations between Switzerland and Japan have a long

tradition and stand on very solid ground. Japan is the fourth most

important export market for Switzerland, and Switzerland is the sixth

largest foreign direct investor into Japan.

The Free Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (FTEPA) of

2009 is one of the most significant free trade agreements (FTA)

signed by Switzerland and also constitutes the first FTA Japan has

concluded with a European country.

With this significant background in mind, State Secretary for

Economic Affairs Ms. Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch visited Japan

from 12-15 October. Among some of her visits, she met with senior

officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

(MAFF) as well as from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) where the strong economic

relations between Switzerland and Japan have been praised and highlighted. In addition, Ms. Ineichen-

Fleisch also attended a luncheon organized by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan

(SCCIJ), where she talked about the economic relations between Japan and Switzerland and answered

the questions of the members of the Swiss Chamber.

Visit of the President of the Council of States, Mr. Raphaël Comte, to Japan

Switzerland and Japan have enjoyed very close ties of

friendship for more than 150 years.

From October 30 to November 6 the Embassy had the pleasure

and honor to welcome and accompany Mr. Raphaël Comte,

the President of the Swiss Council of States, during his visit to

Japan, his only official visit outside of Europe. Mr. Raphaël

Comte met with his Japanese counterpart, Mr. Chuichi Date.

Together they shared their views on the future and

commitment to further cooperate, particularly within the

framework of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mr. Raphaël Comte at the Hiroshima

Peace Memorial Museum ©City of

Hiroshima

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After Tokyo, Mr. Comte travelled to Nara to meet with the Governor of Nara Prefecture to celebrate

with him the partnership between Bern and Nara, the first partnership between a Swiss canton and a

Japanese Prefecture. Mr. Comte expressed a profound interest for the Japanese culture and notably

participated to a traditional tea ceremony and visited tea plantations. Mr. Comte then finished his visit

of Japan in Hiroshima, where he laid a wreath at the cenotaph of the Peace Memorial Museum in

Hiroshima to promote peace and denuclearization.

Visit of the Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II

Did you know that Switzerland is representing the interests of Principality of Liechtenstein in many

places around the world? If the Principality wishes it, the Embassy of Switzerland can also provide

support during official and private visits from Liechtenstein. The recent visit of HSH Prince Hans-Adam

II of Liechtenstein to Japan this fall to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Japan-Liechtenstein

society was an occasion to highlight that special role and the shared values we have with the

Principality. The Embassy of Switzerland had the honor to welcome the Prince to Tokyo on his private

visit of the Japanese capital.

The Prince visited the renowned Sophia University in Tokyo to give a memorial lecture on the occasion

of the publication in Japanese of his book “The State in the Third Millennium”. In his book, the Prince

discusses his political philosophy: “small is beautiful”, a core concept of the Prince’s political thinking,

as he is convinced that the advantages of small political units and strong self-determination of

communities are essential to achieve true democracy and a state which serves its citizens, not the

other way around.

HSH Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein in visit to Sophia University in Tokyo

©Sophia University

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Presence Switzerland in Tokyo

The countdown has started for Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics games. In four years only, Tokyo

will be hosting the Olympics and Paralympics games for the second time. In light of this major

international event, a delegation from Presence Switzerland came to Tokyo for a week to discover the

city, meet locals, university students and officials involved in the preparation of the games to

brainstorm ideas about the House of Switzerland. The goal of the visit was to get a glimpse of the

current state of preparation of the Games but also experience Tokyo first hand and imagine what it will

look like in 2020. In a city constantly evolving this is quite a challenge. In addition, Ambassador Bideau

also took the opportunity to salute and share the success of the House of Switzerland in Rio with

members of SCCIJ during a special event at the Embassy Residence accompanied with a wine-tasting

class given by Mr. Paolo Basso. The House of Switzerland will be a must-go to hub during the Olympics

and Paralympics to celebrate and watch the games together, contribute to the Olympic and Paralympic

spirit while enjoying Swiss culture!

The delegation from Presence Switzerland; Ambassador Nicolas Bideau and Alexandre

Edelmann, are given a visit of Meiji Shrine in Tokyo by Meiji Shrine Director Mr. Masahiro

Sato ©Taisuke Kadosaki

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Visit of Laurent Wehrli - Mayor of Montreux

2016 was a special year for Montreux and Japan.

Indeed, the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival

celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the cities of

Montreux and Chiba celebrated their 20th

anniversary of sister-city partnership. On this very

special occasion, Laurent Wehrli, National

Counselor and Mayor of Montreux visited Tokyo to

attend the Japanese edition of the Festival, and to

meet with representatives of the Japanese

parliament.

This sister-city partnership notably gives the chance

to young citizens of Chiba and Montreux the

possibility to visit and experience each other’s

country. A great opportunity to further strengthens

the ties between our two countries.

Ueda and Davos 40th sister city anniversary

2016 marked the 40th sister-city

anniversary of the cities of Ueda and Davos,

one of the oldest relationships between

Switzerland and Japan. This anniversary

was a unique occasion to further

strengthen the existing ties between the

two cities, both located in iconic

mountainous areas, known for their great

wintery imagery and activities.

From left to right: Mr. Rémy Crégut , Mr. Mathieu Jaton,

Mr. Laurent Wehrli, Ambassador Jean-François Paroz,

Mr. Junnichi Harada © FDFA

Officials from the City of Ueda, Davos and the Embassy of

Switzerland came together to celebrate the 40th anniversary of

the sister city partnership. ©FDFA

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ComCom’s President Marc Furrer in a

conversation with robot Erica at the Advanced

Telecommunication Research Centre ©FDFA

Economic news & Swiss Business Hub

Swiss Business Hub Japan (SBHJ) Besides its classical sections dealing with the political, economic or cultural affairs, the Embassy hosts a Swiss Business Hub, dedicated to export and investment promotion. The SBHJ is the local Japanese network partner of the official government trade and investment promotion agency “Switzerland Global Enterprise” (www.s-ge.com). It supports Swiss exporters with market entry and market expansion services. In addition, it actively promotes Switzerland as a location for Japanese corporate investments. Some of the latest projects are reported below.

Swiss Federal Communications Commission on a Study Trip in Japan

What are the keywords that first come to mind when

you think of Japan? “Technology and Innovation” will

surely come up at the top. This should not come as a

surprise since Japan has one of the largest and most

advanced telecommunications markets in the world

and was a pioneer in many ICT technologies, including

mobile internet (from 1999), 3G technology (from

2001) and Location Based Services (from 2001).

With this background in mind, the Swiss Federal

Communications Commission (ComCom) –

Switzerland’s independent regulatory authority of the

telecommunications market – accompanied by

representatives of the Federal Office of

Communication (OFCOM), visited Japan from 16-19 October to study the market situation and

regulatory framework of the telecommunication sector in Japan as well as Japan’s thriving ICT industry.

ComCom notably met with NTT Docomo and Softbank to exchange ideas on the development of

cellular networks from 4G to 5G technology, a much anticipated shift!

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Female sandal maker in the Philippines ©

BlueOrchard

Launch of the ASEAN Women Empowerment Fund managed by a Swiss microfinance

institution

On the occasion of the launch of the Japan ASEAN Women Empowerment Fund (JAWEF) on 27 October, Ambassador Paroz, hosted an event for the parties who contributed to this meaningful initiative aimed at fighting poverty and empowering women. JAWEF was set up and is managed by the Swiss-based microfinance institution BlueOrchard, with the appreciation of the Japanese Government and following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s initiative to empower women. JAWEF will provide perpetual lending facilities to predominantly female and micro small entrepreneurs in ASEAN.

Investment Seminar The Investment Promotion department of the Swiss Business Hub organizes investment seminars for

potential industrial investors on a regular basis. The latest one was staged on October 19 in Otemachi,

Tokyo. Around 70 representatives of mid-sized

and large Japanese companies attended and

received the latest information on the

investment environment in Switzerland. From

the Swiss side there were representatives from

the cantons of Vaud, Berne and Nidwalden. The

main topic of the Investment Seminar was Brexit

and its consequences on the financial sector.

One of the topics is relocation of businesses and

Switzerland generated a great interest as a

location for Japanese companies on the

backdrop of the UK leaving the EU. Guest

speakers included a tax partner of KMPG, the

well know journalist Tomoyuki Isoyama and a

representative of GC Dental, a Japanese dental

medtech company with global headquarters in

Lucerne.

The investment seminar taking place on October 19th

©FDFA

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The Young Professionals visit a Japanese robotics

producer ©FDFA

Young Professional Program (YPP)

The Young Professional Program was established by

Swissmem, the Swiss Association of Mechanical and

Electrical Engineering Industries to allow young

Swiss professionals from the machine tool industry

to get a first-hand experience about Japan and its

major players in that industry.

From 16 to 23 November, a group of 22 mechanical

engineering students and apprentices toured Japan

and visited 8 Japanese machine tool builders. The

students also visited Keio University and Kyoto

University and had a lively exchange with Japanese

professors and students. The tour was organized for

the third time by the Swiss Business Hub. The

students enjoyed a very diverse program, not only covering industrial visits, but also a deep immersion

in Japanese business manners and culture. The Young Professionals toured all around Japan, from

Nagoya to Tokyo, then to Kanazawa, Yamanaka-ko, Kyoto, Osaka and Awajishima, a very packed week

of traveling!

JIMTOF 2016

JIMTOF is the second largest international fair for

machine tool manufacturers and is staged every second

year in Tokyo.

The high Swiss Franc is a real challenge for Swiss

companies. Nevertheless, Swiss machinery exports to

Japan increased by more than 6% this year.

This year’s show (17-22 Nov) saw more than 90 Swiss

companies exhibiting their latest technology to an

international expert audience. The Swiss Business Hub

on behalf of Swissmem, the Swiss Association of

Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries,

organized the association’s info booth and built an

information website covering all Swiss exhibitors. . In addition, the Swiss Business Hub organized the

traditional “Swiss Days” lunch reception for Swiss exhibitors and their clients. The participants visited

several booths of Swiss exhibitors and were informed about their latest technologies and product

offerings.

Mr. Ambassador Paroz (middle) at the booth of a

Swiss exhibitor at JIMTOF ©FDFA

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Job Opportunity at the Swiss Business Hub

The Export department of the Swiss Business Hub has an open position for a Local Trade Advisor. A

good technical or consulting background and a native level Japanese are some of the conditions. A full

description and more details regarding the job opportunity can be found on our website.

Science, Education, Research & Innovation

Science and Technology Office

The Embassy of Switzerland in Japan hosts a Science and Technology office, which is responsible for

the promotion of scientific cooperation between the two countries. The Science and Technology

Office’s mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tokyo is to support the State Secretariat of Education,

Research and Innovation (SERI) in Switzerland in the implementation of its strategy at an international

level.

The Science & Technology Office Tokyo is an integral part of the Swissnex Network, which is a key component of Swiss foreign policy to promote science, technology, innovation and higher education.

Government supported research collaboration

New calls were launched for research funding

projects between the two funding agencies Swiss

National Science Foundation SNF and Japan Society

for the Promotion of Science JSPS; further calls are

in preparation also with Japan Science and

Technology Agency (JST). In the meantime, two

workshops were held in collaboration with JST, one

in Dübendorf, Switzerland in March, the second

one in October in Tokyo. At both workshops more

than 40 researchers met to exchange their findings

on energy related topics – a topic of key

importance for both our countries’ future. They

have successfully led to new discussions towards

collaborative research between young researchers

who met on through these initiatives.

Ambassador Paroz gave the opening speech at the "Hydrogen Technology and Energy Storage” Workshop held from October 5-6 ©FDFA

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Three Japanese Teams at Cybathlon in Switzerland!

Cybathlon is an international competition for

individuals with physical disabilities assisted by

cutting-edge technologies including robotics

and bio-mechatronics. The first Cybathlon was

held in Switzerland on October 8 and three

Japanese teams were competing in four

different disciplines. In order to give both the

teams and the event a platform in Japan, the

Science & Technology Office Tokyo organized a

“Cybathlon Pep Rally Event” in Shibuya’s

FabCafe – more than 100 people showed up to

cheer for the three teams and at the same

time learned more about innovative

Switzerland. The main event in Zurich attracted

about 4’600 visitors and more than 200 media outlets! Be sure to check out the video produced

featuring the three Japanese teams.

Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences discover Asia

A delegation from Switzerland’s Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) visited Asia—China, Japan,

Korea—to directly learn and experience the challenges of (healthily) aging societies and their health

care systems. The trip, organized by swissuniversities.ch in collaboration with Swissnex China, and the

S&T Offices Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul, led the 13 professors to three countries. The program was

diverse and dense: universities, startups, governmental institutions as well as hospitals were visited.

Specifically in Tokyo, at a match-making

event at the Residence of the Ambassador,

the representatives from the six

participating Swiss UAS “speed-dated” six

Japanese Universities: The universities had

ten minutes per “date” to introduce

themselves and to make a first contact. The

networking session that followed hosted by

the Ambassador at his Residence was

helpful for expanding the discussions. The

Swiss representatives were happy

about concrete ideas for collaborations

they found through this event between

their institutions and newly met partners in Japan. We would like to thank the delegation for their

great interest in Japan and all the Japanese counterparts for their hospitality.

Cybathlon initiator Prof. Robert Riener greets the Japanese teams and the audience at the Cybathlon Pep Rally Event ©FDFA

The Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing warmly welcomed the Swiss UAS Delegation. ©FDFA

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Professor Thomsen (Uni ZH) and Prof. Défago (Tokyo Tech) introducing their research projects ©FDFA

Promoting Studies in Switzerland – in Tokyo and in Kyoto!

Four Japanese graduates from Switzerland’s prestigious University of Arts & Design, ECAL, contacted

the Swiss Embassy a few months ago and asked for support for their project to promote ECAL in Japan

and inspire more design students to study abroad while also exhibiting their graduation artworks. The

S&T Office Tokyo supported the successful Re-Importation exhibition during the Tokyo Design Week:

More than 500 guests, mostly prospective students, journalists covering the relevant fields and

prominent designers visited the beautifully designed exhibition and the relevant discussion rounds

held during the six day event in early November.

The first Swiss Alumni Symposium in Kyoto of November 27th, organized and initiated by Yuta

Daigi (former University of Zurich exchange student) and Aurelio Cortese (EPFL Alumni), was a great

success. The theme of the symposium that took place

in the beautiful “Yoshida Izumidono” Building of Kyoto

University was “studying in/ about/ with Switzerland”.

The speakers with diverse backgrounds offered a

broad perspective on the academic relations between

Japan and Switzerland. Tokyo Tech Professor Défago

introduced for example his perspective on the

evolution of Japanese Academia over the last 20 years.

Prof. Thomsen from the University of Zürich

presented his project on unveiling art objects from

Japan that are stored in museums’ basements. This is

been done by linking them to the person who donated

them and tracing back their history. Lively discussions

continued during the simple networking reception with Swiss cheese and wine provided by the

Embassy of Switzerland.

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Mr. Shimamura (President of Asahi Glass Company),

Mrs. Shimamura, Prof. Cleaveland, Laureate Prof.

Borner, Dr. Gusynina Paroz, Mr. Ambassador Paroz

©FDFA

Blue Planet Prize 2016 in Swiss hands: Prof. Markus Borner

This year’s esteemed Blue Planet Prize from the Asahi

Glass Foundation was awarded to Prof. Markus

Borner who has been at the forefront of the

conservation and management initiatives to protect

endangered wildlife and ecosystems in Africa over

the past 40 years. The Prize Award Ceremony was

held in Tokyo on November 16 in attendance of his

Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino.

The Swiss Ambassador pointed out in his

Congratulatory speech that the Swiss Constitution in

its preamble stipulates that the Swiss people and

Cantons are mindful of their responsibility towards

creation and towards future generations. He thanked

Prof. Borner for all his contributions to protect and

conserve biodiversity and wilderness and also the

Asahi Glass Foundation for establishing the Blue Planet Prize, which highlights the achievements of

individuals and institutions that work hard to protect our environment.

Press and culture

Japanese Media Tour on Civil Engineering in Switzerland

In August, eight members of the Japanese

media traveled to Switzerland for one week on

a media tour. This was the fourth media tour

held in the past three years. With the aim to

introduce the side of Switzerland not yet known

to the Japanese public, this year's theme was

"Innovative Civil Engineering (Doboku) in

Switzerland". With the baton of "the longest

railway tunnel in the world" being passed on

from Seikan Tunnel in Japan to the Gotthard

Base Tunnel, the civil engineering aspect in

Switzerland was introduced along with the

structure of the society in which people take The eight participants, fully geared up for their visit in Switzerland ©FDFA

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the initiative in the decision making process of construction projects. The group has also visited large-

scale projects such as Nant-de-Drance, Tamina Bridge, and architectures built by Japanese architects:

SANAA, Kengo Kuma and Riken Yamamoto.

Civil Engineering Exhibition and Mountain Day Event

21_21 design sight, a design museum in Tokyo, held during the summer 2016 a unique civil engineering

themed exhibition - the first of its kind held with a “design” perspective. Switzerland was featured

prominently through the introduction of the longest tunnel to open at the year-end: the Gotthard Base

Tunnel.

The newly introduced “Mountain Day” – a new holiday in Japan – was an occasion to organize a special

lecture which brought together the builder of the Gotthard Tunnel, Mr. Renzo Simoni, CEO of

AlpTransit, and the builder of the Seikan Tunnel (now the second longest tunnel), Mr. Akita. The 21_21

design sight museum was quickly booked out for this symbolic “passing of the crown” event with an

enthusiastic audience interested in how these large-scale projects came to be realized.

The lecture by Renzo Simoni at the 21_21 Design sight in Tokyo ©FDFA

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The Dada monster at the Dada 100 Festival opening ©Embassy of Switzerland in Japan / Tsuburaya Production

Dada 100 Festival

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of Dadaism, an

influential art-movement founded at the Cabaret

Voltaire in Zürich in February 1916. As an anti-

establishment and conceptual movement, Dadaism still

is a major influence to many artists and art genres

around the world. Throughout this spring and summer,

many exciting events including dance performances,

design and art exhibitions, and movie screenings took

place around Tokyo to celebrate the legacy of the

movement in Japan. A Dada newspaper was published

and 17’000 copes distributed around the city. The

festival was launched in May 19 at the Swiss

Ambassador's residence in collaboration with a special

guest appearance of the "DADA", a monster from the popular TV series "Ultraman" in Japan, which is

inspired by Dadaism and became the face of the festival. The Dada 100 festival brought together more

than 20 partners institutions and about 30 different events took place over a four months period.

One of the Dada 100 Festival opening performances at Super Deluxe ©Hideto Maezawa

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Montreux Jazz Festival Japan

The iconic Montreux Jazz Festival came back to Japan for its 2nd edition in Tokyo. The festival took

over some of the trendiest spots of the Japanese capital; Yebisu Garden in Ebisu and Unit in

Daikanyama for a series of shows with carefully selected performers. The world renowned fashion

designer Yohji Yamamoto - one of Claude Nobb's favorite designer - created the poster this year and

collaborated with artist Yuuka Asakura for the visuals of the festival. The highlight of this years’ festival

was the performance with Caetano Veloso. As always the festival was a great success and we look

forward to the next edition!

Great turnout to the Festival for this year edition ©Montreux Jazz Festival Japan 2016

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Swiss Design Promotion

This fall was very busy for Swiss Design and many events took place from talk events to design

exhibitions. Some of the notable events that took place were the exhibitions by renowned Swiss

architects and designers from Atelier Oï. At the “Paper Garden” exhibition (1.9-11.9.2016, in Spiral)

they showed their beautiful and meticulous artworks made with Washi-paper from Gifu Prefecture,

and then they host a solo exhibition at Axis Gallery (28.10-6.11.2016, Axis) where they showed the

working process behind each of their artwork.

Young and promising Swiss designers Dimitri Bähler and Christophe Guberan participated in the

“HIGHLIGHT” exhibition together with renowned Japanese designers at the Design Koishikawa, which

received a lot of coverage in the media.

The solo exhibition by the winner of the 2016 Swiss Design Award, Christophe Guberan got a lot of

attention and an exhibition by Japanese students graduated from ECAL and other European Art

Universities proved the high reputation of the Art schools in Europe including Switzerland. The special

pop-up store, the "Swiss Design Kiosk", marked the presence of Swiss design during this years’ Tokyo

Design Week. Created to showcase and sell Swiss products from everyday life, this Kiosk will start

moving to different venues. More information on the other events organized this fall can be found in

our cultural calendar.

Paper Garden exhibition with Atelier Oï at Spiral. ©FDFA

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Swiss Culture in Japan

Each quarter, the Embassy of Switzerland releases a cultural bulletin highlighting all the events taking

place around Japan that promote Swiss culture. Such events include music performances, art

exhibitions or festivals; the events are as numerous as they are varied. These events are not only a

great way to discover more about Swiss culture or maintain a tie with Switzerland, but they are also a

great way to meet interesting people who have bonds with our country. The Embassy is looking

forward to meeting some of you to some of next year’s events.

The latest cultural calendar from Fall 2016. Click on the image to enlarge ©FDFA

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Upcoming Events

Swiss’ Experiences: Thriving and Surviving in Japan

The S&T Office Tokyo at the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, in collaboration with the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan SCCIJ is organizing a presentation series, inviting Swiss speakers to talk and discuss their experiences in Japan. Please join us for interesting talks, discussions and networking; Participation is free, but registration is required!

Speaker Dr. Andres Müller, Engineer & PM at Nippon Koei Co, Ltd.

When: Thursday, January 12

Where: Meeting Room of Okuno & Partners, Kyobashi TD Bldg. 7F, 1-2-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Schedule: 19:00 – 20:00: Presentation and Discussion; 20:00 – 21:00: Networking

Speaker Dr. Aurelio Cortese, Postdoctoral researcher at ATR

When: Tuesday, January 31

Where: Meeting Room of Okuno & Partners, Kyobashi TD Bldg. 7F, 1-2-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Schedule: 19:00 – 20:00: Presentation and Discussion; 20:00 – 21:00: Networking

When: March 2017

Festival de la Francophonie

The Festival of the Francophonie is a world-wide festival organized by French-speaking countries of all

continents every March. Events throughout Japan will be organized, please find below some of the

events and keep an eye at the next cultural calendar for more information about them.

This year, Switzerland will participate in a lecture on the Swiss photographer Pierre Joseph Rossier,

who was one of the earliest photographer visiting Japan at the Bakumatsu (1858 – 1862) and

contributed to the development of the Japanese photographic history. The Swiss researcher Philippe

Dallais at the Zurich University and the Ethnographic Museum will give two lectures in Kobe and Osaka

introducing the exhibition “Bakumatsu en 3D par Pierre Possier » at the Maison Franco-Japonaise in

Tokyo from March 24 to April 7. In addition, at the Journée de la Francophonie, Switzerland will

participate in the culinary part to serve raclette and Swiss wine. www.institutfrancais.jp

Some special celebrations for the Francophonie will also be held in Kobe this coming March 2017.

David Zoppetti, a Swiss writer, is already among some of the speakers of the event. He will talk about

the renowned Swiss liquor absinthe and its tight relationship with artists and its impact on culture,

notably on the Dada movement, which was born in Zurich in 1916 and celebrated its 100th anniversary

this year.

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The Last Swiss Young Professional event of year 2016 hosted on December 15th at Nescafé Harajuku gathered more

than 80 people ©FDFA

When: April 19-21

Where: Tokyo Big Sight

Swiss Medtech Pavilion at MEDTEC Japan 2017

Join us at Asia’s most important Medtech related Expo: MEDTEC Japan

Join the Swiss Medtech Pavilion at MEDTEC Japan, Asia’s largest trade-show dedicated to the design

and manufacturing of medical devices. As co-exhibitor at the Swiss Medtech Pavilion, Swiss research

institutes and young companies involved in the Medtech field will have an excellent platform to

present and promote their activities, disseminate up-to-date information, foster networking and

establish new partnerships. It is ideal for gaining an overview of cutting-edge R&D activities, learning

the latest technological trends, finding partners in Japan and Asia and accessing the growing

opportunities in the Medtech domain.

Swiss community

Swiss Young Professional

Every three months, the Embassy of Switzerland organizes a casual gathering called “Swiss Young

Professional” for students, entrepreneurs and professionals that have some connections with

Switzerland to come together, network and have a good time. Drinks and food are served and

everyone is welcomed! Make sure not to miss the next event by either sending us an email to

registering to our mailing list or keeping an eye at our facebook page.

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Children playing at the spring BBQ hosted together with

the Tamagawa Alphorn Club at the Floral Garden Ange

in Tamagawa event ©FDFA

Happy Birthday Swiss Club Tokyo!

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Swiss

Club Tokyo, a non-profit organization, run by

volunteers from the Swiss community of the Kanto

area.

It all began in 1974, when some Swiss Embassy

staff members invited the local Swiss community

to a garden party at the old Embassy. The purpose

was to bring Swiss people together, establish

contacts with newcomers, make friends and

exchange experiences. The event was a great

success and eventually led to the foundation of the

Swiss Club Tokyo in September 1976. Today, the

Swiss Club Tokyo counts over 100 members living

in the Kanto area.

The club organizes various activities throughout the

year, such as the 1st of August party at the pool side of the Hilton Tokyo Bay, fun weekend gatherings, a

spring barbecue, a ski holiday in the Japanese Alps, a gorgeous Year End Party (together with the SCCIJ),

to mention only a few. Also, an informal get-together is set for every last Monday of the month.

Reservations are not required and anyone can join to socialize with compatriots over a drink and a nice

meal.

The creation of a platform (possibly on facebook), which allows members to advertise small gatherings or

outings (hiking, motorcycle touring, garage sale, etc.) is currently being considered. In order to stay

relevant, the club is always open to new ideas for events and activities, and any constructive input is

welcome.

Contact Info: Swiss Club Tokyo c/o Embassy of Switzerland

5-9-12 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku

Tokyo 106-8589

Tel.: 03-5449-8422

Email: swiss.club.tokyo@gmail.com

Further information and details on upcoming events can be found on the Swiss Club Web page.

Social-media users will be happy to find the Swiss Club on facebook as well.

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Guests enjoying their evening at the Year End Event of the Swiss Club Tokyo and the

SCCIJ. ©SCCIJ

Year End Event

On December 1, the Swiss Club Tokyo and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan,

under the patronage of Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan, Jean-François Paroz, and his spouse,

opened the holiday season with the traditional Year End Party.

Under the motto “Red Carpet – Be a Movie Star”, numerous (to-be) stars and starlets were to be

spotted among the 300 participants that gathered in Hilton Tokyo. In a costume contest, those who

convinced most on the red carpet had the opportunity to be awarded great prizes. Music

entertainment also brought Switzerland and Japan closer to Hollywood: while the band Micazo &

Friends accompanied the evening with famous movie soundtracks, guests were indulged in the

traditional Swiss music of the Tamagawa Alphorn Club and carried away by the vibrant Kendama

dancing performance of Zoomadanke. Such entertainment, together with a delicious buffet and many

fantastic door prizes to be won, turned the evening into a success.

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The yearly August 1st celebration at the Kobe Club organized

by the Swiss Society of the Kansai ©Swiss Society of the Kansai

Swiss Society of the Kansai

If you are a Swiss resident in the Kansai area

in Japan, make sure to attend one of the

events of the Swiss Society of the Kansai.

Typically, the Swiss Society of the Kansai

organizes barbecues twice a year, celebrates

the national day on August 1st and hosts a

Year End event in December.

The Society is a great way to connect with

fellows Swiss and meet other interesting

people living in Japan.

Contact Info: The Swiss Society of the Kansai

President: Mr. Philip Spaelti

Secretary: Mr. Herbert Bucher

Email: swiss.society.of.the.kansai@gmail.com

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Contact

Emergency Contact Information

In order to ensure that we can contact you in case of emergency, our list of addresses, phone numbers

and e-mails has to always remain up-to date. So, if you have recently moved, changed your e-mail

address, or simply think that we might not have all of your contact information on file, send a quick e-

mail to tok.vertetung@eda.admin.ch including all of the following points:

Family name & first name

Street address

Professional Email

Private Email

Mobile Email

Better be safe than sorry!

Think Green: switch to the digital edition of the Swiss Review

Would you like to receive the electronic version of the

SWISS REVIEW?

It’s easy, just visit www.eda.admin.ch/swissabroad

and make the switch to the digital edition.

It’s never too late to go green, save a few trees, and

feel good about it.

(Also available as an Apple or Android app)

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New faces at the Embassy

Several internal changes within the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan occurred in 2016.

Ms. Noriko Sakakibara who worked for 25 years at the Embassy as an administrative assistant left

earlier this fall. We wish her every success in her future endeavor.

Matthias Schnyder joined us from Doha on

August 17th to replace Alain Maniciati as the

3rd secretary in charge of consular matters.

Ambassador Jean François Paroz, previously

the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary in

Budapest, arrived to Tokyo on September 2nd

to replace Ambassador Urs Bucher.

Mariella Baserga arrived from Moscow on

August 8th to replace Alain Tschumi as the

attaché personal assistant to the Ambassador

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Switzerland.

CONTACT

Swiss Embassy in Japan

5-9-12 Minami Azabu

Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8589

Japan

Tel. +81 3 5449 8400

tok.vertretung@eda.ch

www.eda.admin.ch/tokyo

Copyright © 2016 FDFA. All rights reserved

Orie Pernici started working on October 25th

as an administrative assistant notably in

charge of the Embassy reception.

Tina Brunner started working on November

14th as an assistant consular Officer