CEPEX continued its support of U.S.-Japan relations by helping to arrange for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s presence at the October 15^th dedication ceremony of a newly created Japanese garden at Great Falls Elementary School in Virginia. For many years, Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, have been strong supporters of the Great Falls Elementary School Japanese Immersion Program. The Abes were also instrumental in establishing the sister school relationship between Great Falls Elementary School and the Kake Educational Institution in Fukuyama, Hiroshima.

The Japanese garden at Great Falls Elementary, titled 友情の庭 (Yu Jyo no Niwa)  or “Friendship Garden”,  was created by over 100 volunteers this fall. The garden, which aims to help further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese, was made possible through a $5,000 grant from the U.S. Japan Foundation. Japanese teacher Mamiya Worland won the grant and was instrumental in seeing the project come to fruition. The dedication ceremony on Friday brought together numerous dignitaries and supporters of the U.S. – Japan relationship.

(Left to Right) Japan's Ambassador to the U.S. Ichiro Fujisaki, Former PM Shinzo Abe, Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), U.S.-Japan Foundation President George Packard

A Washington Post article on the event can be found here.