In the Odaiba waterfront district, where winter’s arrival felt a bit late, a five-day Christmas event was cohosted by the Tokyo Art Foundation, Worldwide Support for Development and Misuzu Corp. — three organizations headed by the multitalented philanthropist and entrepreneur Haruhisa Handa.
The event from Dec. 12 to 16 included a watch and jewelry exhibition that allowed visitors to enjoy various programs and shopping.
Handa, also known as Toshu Fukami, dabbles in noh, ballet, painting, calligraphy and writing, but he is also an active opera singer and conductor. On the first day of the event, he performed 21 tunes, including “O sole mio” and the Japanese children’s song “Yuki” (“Snow”), with a 34-member orchestra led by conductor Hidemine Takano.
On the 13th, a panel discussion featuring popular comedians Razor Ramon RG and Oniyakko Tsubaki was held, while the noh play “Kurumazou” was performed on the 15th.
A classical ballet performance was held on the 16th. “Les Sylphides,” a collection of short Chopin pieces, was choreographed by Nobuyoshi Nakajima, the director and artistic director of the Tokyo City Ballet. Handa added his original arrangements and also appeared on stage in the role of the Poet, thrilling the audience.
The international politics discussion on the 14th, moderated by Handa, was notable for the participation of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Egyptian Ambassador to Japan Hisham Mohamed Moustafa Badr.
Prior to the discussion, Johnson spoke with members of the media.
“I think it is very encouraging that Japan has a female prime minister,” Johnson said of new leader Sanae Takaichi. “Most of the great periods of British history have been under female rule,” from Queen Elizabeth I to Margaret Thatcher, “who revolutionized the country and built a strong relationship with Japan,” he said.
Johnson also praised Handa for helping to bring people together.
“One of the things Handa supports is the International Democracy Union, which is a group of center-right, conservative parties supporting freedom and democracy.”
He also stressed that it is important to support such moderate democratic center-right parties in the world where far-right parties are rising.
During the discussion, Handa described Johnson as “a person of decision and execution” and noted that his achievements strengthened Britain and enhanced its relationship with Japan.
Johnson noted the similarities shared by the U.K. and Japan as island nations with monarchies and democratic systems, emphasizing their cooperation on defense.
“Eighty years after the Second World War, Rolls-Royce and Mitsubishi are working together to build the next generation of fighters,” he noted.
He also mentioned a 2023 agreement that facilitates access and cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. “We face the same threats to global order and we are ever closer in standing up to those threats,” he said.
Johnson also warned that threats to democracy are growing in many parts of the world.
“In particular, I see democracy threatened in Ukraine where the Russians have attacked a completely innocent country for almost four years. It would be a terrible mistake if the world were to agree to recognize as Russian the land that Putin has stolen,” he said.
He said every country should keep an eye on what is happening in Ukraine because if Putin is allowed to claim he won, “then people will think that aggression works everywhere, that they can use force wherever borders are disputed, wherever one big country claims part of another country in Europe, in Africa, in Asia, wherever.”
In a prior media interview, Johnson said that “the position of the British on the Taiwan issue is very simple: We want the matter to be resolved peacefully across the straits of Taiwan. ‘Peace’ is having no invasion. The people of Taiwan will resist to protect their democracy if there should be violence.”
He stressed again that allowing Russia to take land by force will have huge implications, especially for Taiwan. “The best way to prevent the Chinese from thinking that they can succeed is to show that Putin has not succeeded in Ukraine,” he said.
Aside from the current geopolitical risks, the challenge the world faces today is climate change.
Badr, who is known for his strong dedication to environmental issues and his role as general coordinator of the National Initiative for COP27 Smart Green Projects, said Johnson delivered a powerful speech at the annual U.N. climate conference.
“He said that we cannot go wobbly on climate change and that we need to take a strong position. He was the only prime minister in the U.K. who took the most complete action with regards to climate,” Badr said. He sympathized greatly with Johnson’s stance and said COP27 provided “a change of mindset.”
Badr said Egypt has also been making environmental efforts based on its strong commitment to addressing climate change.
He added that around 17,000 projects have been submitted to the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects.
Badr emphasized that technology and sustainability are the two keywords for creating the future. Johnson agreed, adding that technology will help solve various social issues, including depopulation in Japan and other developed countries, as well as overpopulation in urban areas.
He explained that new technologies will enable people to live in rural areas where their ancestors lived, while helping people find ways to look after each other while maintaining a prosperous economy. He said this will make it possible for countries to rebalance their populations without relying on immigrants.
Handa said that inviting knowledgeable individuals from overseas, such as these two speakers, offers valuable learning opportunities and deepens friendship between nations. He expressed gratitude to both men and emphasized his continued commitment to promoting international exchanges in the future.
