MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS SIGNS MOU WITH AKITA PREFECTURE AND AKITA CITY

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed recently by the Ministry of Youth and Sports permanent secretary, Alison Burchell and the Japan’s Governor of Akita Prefecture, Norihisa Satake on furthering cooperation in the areas of sport, physical education and culture.
This follows a visit to Suva by Mr Satake, and the Mayor of Akita City, Mr Motomu Hozumi in November 2016.
PS Burchell said “the excellent support between Fiji, the Prefecture and Akita City which will grow with the formal MOU has now being signed.”
“The benefits of sport, physical education and culture will allow a gateway to other areas of cooperation including commerce and tourism. Being able to call on Japan’s sporting and economic strength will greatly assist Fiji’s growth in these areas.”
Governor Satake said that through the MOU, the Prefecture and Fiji would develop further the cooperation already existing in the areas of sport, physical education and culture.
“All are important aspects of bringing people together and improving understanding,” Mr Satake said.
Mayor Mr Hozumi highlighted the ongoing cooperation in sport particularly in the field of rugby. The delegation also provided a cultural display only practiced in Akita which is kanto where performers lift poles with lanterns into the air, each weighing a minimum of 60kgs.
The Akita Prefecture and Akita City have both submitted a proposal to host Fiji’s teams to the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Olympic Games in 2020 as a pre-event training camp.
The facilities on offer include an athletics track, baseball stadium, Olympic swimming pool, rugby and soccer fields with both real and artificial grass and numerous indoor facilities.
Akita City also boasts a sports science and medicine centre, which would be available to the Fijian teams should they select Akita as their host.

Caption: Both photos from left to right is the Mayor, Governor, PS Ministry of Youth and Sports and Fiji Ambassador to Japan