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What's New

Celebrating 75 Years of Canada-Japan Relations

Ottawa, May 17, 2004 - In honour of Asian Heritage Month, Library and Archives Canada in collaboration with Foreign Affairs Canada, International Trade Canada, and the Embassy of Japan are inviting the public to a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Canada-Japan diplomatic relations. Japan's first diplomatic mission in Ottawa opened in 1928. Our mission in Tokyo opened in 1929. It was Canada's first significant diplomatic presence in Asia.

Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17, 2004. They include a drumming performance, a display of documents, and an Oscar-winning Canadian documentary feature film.

The display offers a glimpse into our shared diplomatic and trade history from the Library and Archives' collection, artefacts from Canada's Embassy in Japan, and artefacts provided by the Embassy of Japan in Canada.

The film, The Man Who Skied Down Everest, produced by Crawley Films of Ottawa, won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 1976. It tells the dramatic story of Japanese skier Yuichiro Muira's "downhill run" on the highest mountain in the world.

The events will be held at Library and Archives Canada at 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa. Admission is free.

In further recognition of Asian Heritage Month, architect Edward Moriyama will speak on the development and design of the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo on Tuesday May 18 from 11:00 to 12:00 p.m. at Library and Archives Canada. A screening of the film The Man Who Might Have Been: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Herbert Norman will be shown at 7:30 p.m.

Norman, an expert on the history of Japan and a Canadian diplomat, was accused of being a Soviet spy by a U.S. Senate subcommittee. Exonerated by Canada but haunted by public allegations, he committed suicide in Cairo in 1957. The National Film Board docudrama reconstructs his ordeal.

Following the film Dr. Greg Donaghy, Head of the History Division of Foreign Affairs Canada, will comment on the film and on Norman's life. Admission is free.

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For more information, please contact:

Louisa Coates
Media relations officer
Library and Archives Canada
Telephone: 613-992-9361
Cellular: 295-5516
E-mail: media@lac-bac.gc.ca