Latest news with #Shikata
The Star
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
KL strikes a chord as Tokyo Symphony debuts and KL Orchestra Fest lifts off
The Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is set to make its Malaysian debut with a concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in Kuala Lumpur this Sunday (June 1), marking a new milestone in cultural collaboration between Japan and Malaysia. Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata said this aligns perfectly with the TSO's Asia Project philosophy of embracing diverse cultural values and promoting mutual understanding through music. Comprising 80 musicians, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra will perform under the baton of Naoto Otomo, who has also appeared in orchestras outside of Japan, including with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre National de Lorraine. "Western classical music has had a profound and enduring impact on Japan's cultural landscape since its introduction into the school curriculum as part of the Meiji government's modernisation policy efforts nearly 150 years ago,' Shikata said in a statement. Award-winning Japanese pianist Tomoharu Ushida will take the DFP stage in Kuala Lumpur to perform Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 In E minor with the TSO. The evening continues with Mussorgsky's iconic Pictures At An Exhibition, brought to life in all its vivid, orchestral colour. Founded in 1946, TSO regularly performs operas and ballets at Tokyo's New National Theatre and has played 79 concerts across 58 cities worldwide. Shikata added he has fond memories of attending concerts by the City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra in Kyoto during his school days. "After starting my diplomatic career, I had the wonderful experience of attending classical music concerts conducted by global icon Seiji Ozawa at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. "Since then, I have frequently attended classical music concerts in Tokyo, as well as in Washington DC, Paris, London and Beijing,' he said. Strings across the capital Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will host the 2025 Kuala Lumpur Orchestra Festival (FOKL) from May 31 to June 29 at selected venues across the city. In a statement, DBKL said the annual festival aims to promote orchestral music regionally and offer inclusive, world-class cultural experiences. "Throughout the month-long programme, the public can experience a unique blend of Western classical music and traditional local instruments, performed by local and international orchestras, celebrating the richness and diversity of Malaysia's distinct culture," the statement read. Now in its second edition, FOKL 2025 goes beyond music to celebrate culture, community, and unity, reinforcing Kuala Lumpur's identity as a culturally vibrant global city. This year's expanded programme is presented in partnership with the Kuala Lumpur Society, with a vision to position the capital as a South-East Asian hub for orchestral music. In addition to orchestral performances, FOKL 2025 will host masterclasses by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (TSO), giving local musicians and educators valuable access to world-class training. The festival also highlights youth participation, with school students across Kuala Lumpur given the opportunity to perform on a professional stage alongside seasoned musicians. DBKL will hold a charity concert for the Malaysian Association for the Blind on May 31 at Auditorium Bandaraya, and invite over 60 Kuala Lumpur schools to free selected performances, expanding access to live orchestral music. To ensure inclusivity, DBKL is partnering with the OKU GNB Welfare Association to facilitate the attendance of persons with disabilities. FOKL will also host a regional forum on orchestra management, uniting music leaders from across Asia, including the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras, Beijing-based critics and conductors from Bangkok, to help strengthen the regional orchestral ecosystem. "The forum will serve as a dynamic platform for exchanging insights, addressing challenges, and sharing best practices in contemporary orchestra management, while jointly shaping strategies to advance the orchestral music industry across East and South-East Asia," the statement added. – Bernama
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Japanese companies sees investment opportunities in ASEAN power grid initiative
KUALA LUMPUR: Japanese companies have expressed their interest in supporting and investing in the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative, which, among others, includes the proposed submarine cable project connecting Sarawak and Johor. Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata said that to further elevate trade and economic cooperation between Japan and Malaysia, Japanese companies are also eyeing green investment opportunities and hydropower-related projects in the country. He noted that both countries can benefit from the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), which is a platform for cooperation to achieve carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions in the Asian region. 'More Japanese companies are interested in coming to Malaysia -- for example, Sabah for green investments, and Sarawak for its huge hydropower potential. 'Japanese companies can contribute by introducing new technologies such as making use of hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS),' he told Bernama after his appearance on BernamaTV's 'The Nation Diplomatic Dispatch' programme, which is aired today. Shikata added that Japanese companies are also looking into investing in Malaysia's booming data centre industry. Malaysia's food and beverage industry is also an attractive investment avenue for Japanese companies, he said, estimating that there are over 2,000 Japanese restaurants in the country. He noted that Malaysia has been attracting food-related investments, supported by the nation's halal certification regulation. 'One example is Ajinomoto Malaysia Bhd, which has a factory near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). They are 100 per cent halal, and I understand that about 40 per cent of their products are exported to the Middle East and 10 per cent are exported to Japan. 'As more and more Malaysian tourists come to Japan, there is a higher expectation for Japanese restaurants in Malaysia,' he added.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Japanese companies to further elevate trade in APG
KUALA LUMPUR: Japanese companies have expressed their interest in supporting and investing in the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative, which, among others, includes the proposed submarine cable project connecting Sarawak and Johor. Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata said that to further elevate trade and economic cooperation between Japan and Malaysia, Japanese companies are also eyeing green investment opportunities and hydropower-related projects in the country. He noted that both countries can benefit from the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), which is a platform for cooperation to achieve carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions in the Asian region. 'More Japanese companies are interested in coming to Malaysia -- for example, Sabah for green investments, and Sarawak for its huge hydropower potential. 'Japanese companies can contribute by introducing new technologies such as making use of hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS),' he told Bernama after his appearance on BernamaTV's 'The Nation Diplomatic Dispatch' programme, which is aired today. Shikata added that Japanese companies are also looking into investing in Malaysia's booming data centre industry. Malaysia's food and beverage industry is also an attractive investment avenue for Japanese companies, he said, estimating that there are over 2,000 Japanese restaurants in the country. He noted that Malaysia has been attracting food-related investments, supported by the nation's halal certification regulation. 'One example is Ajinomoto Malaysia Bhd, which has a factory near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). They are 100 per cent halal, and I understand that about 40 per cent of their products are exported to the Middle East and 10 per cent are exported to Japan. 'As more and more Malaysian tourists come to Japan, there is a higher expectation for Japanese restaurants in Malaysia,' he added.
Barnama
27-04-2025
- Business
- Barnama
JV New Energy Transition, Sustainability Projects In Malaysia Model Examples
KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Joint-venture new energy transition and sustainability projects in Malaysia will become model examples for the rest of Asia and beyond, said Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata. Shikata said that in addition to achieving carbon neutrality, various new decarbonisation cooperation projects are emerging in Malaysia. 'At the Japan-Malaysia summit meeting in January, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba expressed their intention to further promote carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and the use of hydrogen and ammonia as alternative fuels,' he said during the opening ceremony of Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry, Malaysia's (JACTIM) new office here.
