“Real Japan is cool” (From News paper Senken Shinbun)
Chibi Japan Expo in Marseille
A reporter’s article on Chibi Japan Expo in Marseille appeared in news paper Senken Shinbun (2nd, Apr.)
The following extract is the second half of the third article of a series “Real Japan is cool” titled “It’s now! Make a sale!”
“Kawaii!” cried grown people, too.
– “Japan Expo in Paris” organized by SEFA is an event of Japanese manga, animation and sub cultural goods gathered together in a site. Recently it shows remarkable growing. In the last September the event accepted 134,467 visitors, while three years ago the number of visitors was 41,000.
SEFA has held Chibi Japan Expo responding to the furor, besides the regular one in Paris. Makoto. Kurita, only participant from Japan, did flourishing business with socks and other goods with ornaments of characters.
– Mr. Kurita considers: “Kawaii is a new value for Western countries where an adult must be adult like. They will be relaxed when permitted to be kawaii. and this relaxation might evolve to an affinity with Japan.”
– He says “I want to market more Japan abroad.” in connection with his participation to the event this time. Last year he had chance to see the furor there. But at the time he was irritated at the fact, that most vendors of Japanese commodities were foreigners.
– Next time Japan Expo will have 10th presentation. Considering the growing number of women visitors, fashion related presentation will be bolstered up. Mr. Kurita, too, will take a part in it. He is animated: “I will prepare interesting commodities, even if it may not be in a big scale.”
In the article the phrase “Kurita, only participant from Japan” is not correct. It must be “Kurita, only direct participant from Japan”, because some Japanese residents in Marseille had booths besides me. But it is correct that many Chinese and Koreans were selling there under the name of Japan.
What a waste of chance, overlooking such a fever!
*(Photo) Two in kimono is French girls. Every day they visited there in this costume.
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