At the invitation of Japan Hokuriku Bank, the Shanghai Creative Product Development Center director, double as the director of the Museum Committee Mr. Hu Muqing, with his party started cultural exchanges trip to concentrate on Toyama Prefecture from September 11 to September 15th, 2012. Hereby, thank for the hospitality from Japan Hokuriku Bank, Toyama Prefectural Office (provincial government), Toyama Municipal Government, and Takaoka Copper Association, Toyama Glass Studio and other organizations.
The delegation is aimed at investigating Toyama craft industry during this visit, including Takaoka coppers and Toyama glasses, strengthening the cooperation between the Shanghai Creative Product Development Center, the museum and Japan Toyama relevant organizations.
During inspection, Director Hu and his party had a deep and friendly communication with related area represents successively, they were Hokuriku Bank Managing Director Nishida Takafumi and Director Shoryu Taniuchi, Toyama County (province) Ministry of Commerce and Industry-- Masaru Araki, Toyama Planning and Management Ministry Minister—Mr. Masayoshi Imamoto, Takaoka Industrial Revitalization Ministry Minister Teruo Sakashita and Takaoka Copper Association President Komazawa Yoshinori, Toyama Glass Workshop Curator Yuichi Noda etc.. In the process of visit, several Japan news and TV stations (including Japan's "Yomiuri Shimbun", Webun News, The Toyama Shimbun and Japan NHK television) gave special coverage on Mr. Hu and his delegation, arousing wide range social repercussions.
Toyama Prefecture is located in the center of the Japanese archipelago and the northern part of Honshu, facing the Sea of Japan, has a unique geographical environment. Because of rich water resources, agriculture and fisheries are relatively well developed, forming few of industrial belts along the Sea of Japan coast as well. In addition, Takaoka bronzes, Takaoka lacquer wares, Inami engraving, Shogawa Wood Lathers, Yuezhong Washi are all traditional crafts designated by national. The Toyama glass with its bold innovation and rich variety wins reputation home and abroad
The Hokuriku Bank is the largest local bank in Hokuriku area (Toyama, Fukui, Ishikawa, these 3 counties are known as the Hokuriku region); it is also the earliest local bank carrying out foreign-exchange business in Japan. The Hokuriku Bank has 130 years of history, which occupies a pivotal position in Japan finance. The Hokuriku Bank has over 180 branches at present.
Mr. Hu and his party is the first investigated delegation of Chinese art institutions which invited by Hokuriku Bank so far. The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation further with each other in art exchange in the future.
