Japanese anime and manga cartoons gain greater penetration in the European Union with each passing year.


A symposium held in Osaka took up anime and manga as cultural items that have impact on these national cultures and addressed their role in fostering mutual understanding between Japan and the EU. Following on from the previous year, the symposium was sponsored by the Japan-EU Cultural Exchange Symposium Executive Committee, comprised of European cultural institutions in the Kansai area as part of EU-Japan Friendship Week.

Presentations given at the symposium described the spread of Japanese anime and manga and their influence and economic impact in specific countries, followed by a question-and-answer session in which the audience questions and opinions flowed rapidly and lively discussion ensued. The symposium was an opportunity to explore the future possibilities of anime and manga, on which critical opinion has yet to reach consensus, rather than address the genres from the standpoint of any particular enthusiast.

EU-Japan Friendship Week

A series of cultural, artistic, academic and sporting events sponsored by the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan with the objective of promoting Japan-EU exchanges. Held over several weeks in May each year, this year's was the third since the first in 2001. The events have the objectives of promoting respect for national and regional diversity and deepening mutual understanding between Japan and the EU through information on EU currency union and membership expansion. The EU-Japan Fest Japan Committee has participated since the first events held and this year was involved such programs as the soccer event, a symposium and a photography exhibition.