scene of the opening ceremony

Chinese and Japanese officials attend the ceremony

Japanese singer Shinji Tanimura (second right), fashion designer Junko Koshino (fourth right) and table tennis player Ai Fukuhara (fourth left)

World Expo 2010 has unveiled three Japanese ambassadors who will help promote Shanghai Expo overseas as Shanghai Week in Japan which involves a series of promotion activities kicked off in Tokyo yesterday.

The three celebrities are Japanese singer Shinji Tanimura, fashion designer Junko Koshino and table tennis player Ai Fukuhara. They are the first three overseas Expo 2010 ambassadors announced by organizers.

Hong Hao, director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination

Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to Japan

Masahiko Komura, Foreign Minister of Japan  

Foreign Minister of Japan Masahiko Komura said at the opening ceremony of Shanghai Week that the promotion of Shanghai Expo in Japan last spring achieved satisfactory results.

He expressed hope that China and Japan would make good use of Expo 2010 to facilitate their cooperation in various fields and deepen friendships between the two nations.

Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to Japan, said in his speech that Chinese people looked forward to sharing the results of China's development with people worldwide via the platform of the Beijing Olympics and Shanghai Expo.

Cui voiced hope that more Expo promotion activities would take place in Japan to let Japanese people take an active part in the grand event and gain a better understanding of its theme.

About 400 Japanese officials from political, financial, industrial, business, cultural and press circles attended the ceremony. Hong Hao, director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, was also present.

scene of the opening ceremony