Partnership

St. PETERSBURG's JAPANESE HOUSE

Igor Aleksandrov,
advisor to the governor

        Yamato is the former name of Japan. This name was given to the Russian-Japanese Cultural and Educational Interregional Public Foundation that was created in our city five years ago. For nearly two years this Foundation has officially represented the St. Petersburg administration in the context of its relations with the Country of Sunrise. Yamato is supported by the city administration and helps Japanese companies, organizations, universities, and private individuals to realize their projects. This Foundation also helps Russian citizens striving for the realization of their projects in Japan.
        Yamato is striving for the opening of a St. Petersburg administration's representative office in Japan. It is also realizing a program for the development of a many-sided relationship between St. Petersburg and Japan, that has been ratified by the governor. One of this program's points is the creation of the Japanese House multipurpose international centre in the old part of St.Petersburg.
        Look at the map of St. Petersburg: it is planned to build the Japanese House near the Japanese Consulate General, that is, only 50 metres from the Hermitage. As for the space between Bolshaya Konushennaya street and Moika embankment, it will be occupied by a Japanese Street.
        What will be the role of the Japanese House?
        Our readers may have seen several parts of this project already. According to the plan prepared by the St. Petersburg architects, this Centre will house a hotel, Japanese restaurants and cafes, a business centre, a Japanese winter garden, trading and tourist information support centres, an exhibition hall, and a sports centre.
        Governor Vladimir Yakovlev has informed the leaders of the Japanese administrative structure about our city's project for a Japanese House.
        This idea was enthusiastically supported in Japan. Mr. Takuji Kato, member of the House of Representatives, the Parliament of Japan, wrote to Petersburg that he wished to work on the project along with other participants. He offered to give information about the location of the companies that have taken an interest in the project. He has also offered his help in some of the other activities.
        The project was warmly received by Mr. Yoshihiko Tsuchiya, President of the National Governors' Association.
        Yamato Foundation is in search of companies ready to make investments and participate in this Petersburg project.