Cultural activities
We focus on increasing awareness about Japanese culture among Indians and work to introduce Indian culture to Japanese people.
In India, we have successfully arranged cultural activities such as Japanese dance and Taiko drum show, courses for students in Ikebana, Japanese Tea Ceremony demonstration, Japanese dolls exhibition, Origami exhibition and demonstrations, exhibitions of photos of Japan, Japanese song programs, Haiku poetry seminar,and Bonsai exhibitions, introduction of Japanese literature to Indians and so on.
In Japan, we have arranged Indian classical dance shows, musical instrument performances and so on.
Educational activities
Many of our members are Japanese language experts and we strive to introduce the language to Indians as well as promote language related activities. We have been conducting offline and online Japanese language courses. In the past, we have conducted Japanese Essay writing competition as well as short term Japanese language courses for travelers to Japan.
In 2019, we conducted Japanese language training for tourist guides in Maharashtra in collaboration with Wakayama Prefectural Government and Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.
Student exchanges
For past 14 years, we have been arranging summer camp for Indian students in Japan. Held in the month of May, the camp gives Indian students opportunity to learn the Japanese lifestyle through homestay and activities at a private high school in Japan for a week.
AFJ has also arranged home stays for Japanese Students coming to Pune to experience Indian culture.
In addition to our own summer camps, we arrange Japan study tours for various schools. In May 2018, we conducted a Japan study tour for 36 students of Ahilyadevi High School in Pune during which the students got opportunities to interact with Japanese high school students in Okayama and Wakayama prefectures. Similar study tour was arranged for B. D. Somani International School in June 2018.
Development of Pune Okayama Friendship Garden
In year 2004, we initiated to develop a Japanese Garden in Pune City and the Japanese Government provided all the technical assistance to Pune Municipal Corporation on our request. We actively participated in the development of Pune Okayama Friendship Garden which was inaugurated in January 2006 by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh and the Governor of Okayama prefecture Mr. Masahiro Ishii. The opening ceremony saw a host of dignitaries. A delegation of 80 Japanese guests travelled from Okayama to Pune and participated in the ceremony.
Bridging Between Governments
We have been acting as a bridge between government bodies of India and Japan at multiple levels.
We have developed excellent relations with Wakayama Prefectural Government as well as local government bodies in Okayama Prefecture to work together in various areas. we has coordinated visits by numerous government delegations from Japan.
We have successfully arranged study tour for the Pune Municipal Corporation Officers to Okayama in Japan and assisted coordination activities during Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Fadnavis’s Japan visit in September 2015.
We believe a lot can be learned from Japan and hence we provide the opportunities for learning through study tours. In October 2016, we organized a study tour to Japan for about 40 urban planners in Maharashtra Government, who were students of a post-graduate diploma in Urban Planning at YASHADA (Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration). Objective of the tour was to understand how urban planning is done in Japan. In September 2017, we conducted a study tour for senior officers from Town Planning Department of Maharashtra state to
Bridging Between Industries
We provide a platform for the Industries in India for collaboration with Japanese Industries. We have organized several industrial matchmaking events, and assisted industrialists from Japan to develop business in India.
We have also conducted Japan study tours for industrialists in Maharashtra. One such recent study tour was coordinated in October 2018 for CREDAI Metro Pune under which about 80 real estate developers visited Japan and studied various latest technologies used in the field in Japan.
Sports Activities
AFJ has recently started working in the field of sports. In February 2020, AFJ arranged a training camp for wrestlers from Wakayama prefecture who represent Japan, in 2 prestigious wrestling academies in Pune. The objective of the camp was that both the Japanese and Indian wrestlers learn from each other.
AFJ also arranged a meeting between officials from Wakayama prefecture Wrestling Federation and officials of Wrestling Federation of India to discuss about possible exchanges.