Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, former Chief Executive,
The Honourable Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Secretary for Justice,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you for gathering here today for the Opening Ceremony of the “Japan Autumn Festival in Hong Kong”. Launched in 2016 with the support of Hong Kong's Japanese community and the people of Hong Kong, the “Japan Autumn Festival” now marks its 10th anniversary this year – a truly memorable milestone.

To celebrate this momentous 10th anniversary, we have prepared a wide range of events this year and I hope that more people than ever before in Hong Kong will join us to experience and enjoy the many different and fascinating aspects of Japan.

Today, we will be holding a preview of the Festival’s events here at Eaton Club. But, before we begin, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to ChampionREIT and Eaton Club for providing the venue for today’s Ceremony and for their cooperation.

So, without further ado, let’s start with the preview! We will be showcasing nine events for everyone to enjoy and I must give my thanks to the event organisers and all those involved, for your cooperation. My special thanks go to The Hong Kong Japanese Chorus Club, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Medialink Group Limited, Hong Kong branch of the Sogetsu Teacher’s Association, the Hong Kong Japanese Restaurant Association, Broadway Cinematheque, Koyukan, SINO Group and the Japan Autumn Festival Dukling Sunset Cruise Project Team. Of course, the “Japan Autumn Festival” is not only limited to these preview events; a whole host of other events and experiences throughout the Festival awaits you!

For example, the “Japanese Film Programme”, which has been held every year since the first Japan Autumn Festival, is an event jointly presented by the Consulate-General of Japan, the Japan Foundation, Film Culture Centre Hong Kong (FCCHK) and Multiplex Cinema Ltd (MCL). This year, the Programme is scheduled to take place at K11 Musea from late November. The “Japanese Budo Festival”, another annual event that showcases impressive demonstrations of traditional Japanese martial arts, will be held in Lai Chi Kok this coming Sunday, 12th October. Several other events related to traditional Japanese crafts are also scheduled to be held at PMQ. There will also be a number of events allowing participants to experience traditional Japanese culture, such as the tea ceremony and ikebana, as well as traditional Japanese martial arts.

As you are all well aware, Japan's cultural appeal extends far beyond this. This year, alongside concerts by various J-POP artists, such as Tsubaki Factory, Creepy Nuts and Ryokuoushoku Shakai, there are also classical concerts by Japan's world-famous violinist Goto Midori and leading pianists Sorita Kyohei and Fujita Mao, as well as a diverse array of music events spanning genres including jazz and choral music. There will also be events showcasing traditional Japanese music, such as the Shamisen. Please be sure to check out the official website of the “Japan Autumn Festival in Hong Kong” to find events that appeal to you. There is something for everybody!

And please don’t forget Food & Beverage! Thanks to the cooperation of prefectural governments, sake, shochu and awamori are being served here today and there are also events related to them during the Festival - you may wish to visit the “Japan Pavilion” at the “Wine & Dine Festival” from 23 to 26 October. In Hong Kong, Japanese restaurants are second only to Chinese restaurants in number. This is good news, as various Japanese restaurants across Hong Kong are offering limited-time menus and promotions during the Autumn Festival and I encourage you to sample the “Autumn of Japanese Cuisine”!

This year, Japan successfully hosted the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which is about to reach its finale next Monday, 13th October. It showcased a wide array of cutting-edge Japanese technologies. The “Japan Autumn Festival” this year, for the very first time, will cover areas such as innovation and technology, building on the success of Osaka-Kansai EXPO. To mention one key event, the ‘Symposium on Innovation and Technology’ is planned on the last day of this month, 31st October, with the participation of Japanese and Hong Kong start-ups. I look forward to seeing you at these events too!

As you can appreciate, throughout the “Japan Autumn Festival” period, a multitude of Japan-related events await you from across Hong Kong – from PMQ, Tai Kwun to West Kowloon and from Hysan Place, Lee Tung Avenue, Langham Place and Tuen Mun Town Plaza to AsiaWorld-Expo!

This is truly a testament to the breadth and depth of Japan–Hong Kong relations and to the potential of Hong Kong as one of the leading global art and cultural hubs.

That’s enough from me! I hope that I have sufficiently whetted your appetites and look forward to seeing you all again soon at various “Japan Autumn Festival” events!

Thank you!