Japan Host Animation Seminar for Belizean Youths  

Japan is celebrating sixty years of diplomatic relations with the Caribbean. So, in an effort to strengthen relationships, the Embassy of Japan has embarked on a campaign to educate youths in the Caribbean about the Japanese animation industry. A seminar was held today at the Belize Elementary School Gym, where Belizeans received an in-depth view into the industry and its prospects for aspiring artists. News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the seminar to learn more about the endeavor.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

2024 marks sixty years of diplomatic relations with CARICOM for Japan. As a result, representatives from the country are embarking on a trip around the Caribbean to countries such as Belize, Barbados and Jamaica in order to educate Caribbean youths on Japan’s booming animation industry in hopes of fostering an interest in the field. Japanese Ambassador Shirakata Nobuyuki explained the endeavor to us.

 

Nobuyuki Shirakata, Ambassador Of Japan

“This year, 2024, for Japanese side, is Japan CARICOM year. We want to let Belizean people know the Anime industry is very important for Japanese and the world. So we invited the professor Takahashi to teach how it functions, anime industry. Because industry is not gaining much money but it is a soul of Japanese culture, one of the very important industries in Japan.”

 

According to the ambassador, Japan’s animation industry is open to anyone.

 

Nobuyuki Shirakata

“Because anime is very popular in Belize, so we’d like to tell young people of Belize anime has origin in Japan. And how it functions. I’d like to let young people know how to functions, this industry and how to, if they want, how to enter that industry, even out Belizean people.”

 

Professor Takahashi Mitsuteru was brought in to give an in-depth overview of the industry and its functions.

 

Mitsuteru Takahashi, Animation Professor

“It’s not only about watching anime but how to make this animation or how much people are involved to make this animation and then how to spread this animation. If you understand maybe more people will understand animation better.”

 

Attending the event was comic artist and aspiring animator, Maya Pollard, who states that this seminar was a success in her eyes, as it gave her access to difficult information needed to enter the field.

 

 

Maya Pollard, Comic Artist

“Honestly, I learned a lot about the market in Japan. Since we live in the West, we don’t really get a lot of information about how it is over in the East. So, I definitely am happy that I learned, basically, how the industry works on that side. Because it’s very easy to find the information on how it works, like, in the United States, in Canada, and that sort of thing. But in, like, China, Japan, Korea, that kind of information is a bit harder, especially because of the language barrier. So that’s mainly my takeaway from here. That’s why I wanted to come. That’s what I got. So I’m very, I’m very satisfied honestly.”

 

 

Pollard explained that, in the future, she hopes to be able to work as an animator in Belize, but is hopeful at the prospect of learning abroad first.

 

Maya Pollard

“That is the plan down the line. Uh, actually, my main goal really is to build a market here in Belize, the Caribbean in general, but mainly in Belize. I want to continue living at my home, of course, but I do understand that I have to probably move abroad to learn more information. How, basically, because they’re literally like the number one in the world. So I have to learn how it works over there to bring it over here to make it work as well.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.