A signing ceremony for Grant Contract between the Embassy of Japan and Myanmar Judo Federation for “The Project for the Development of Judo in Myanmar”, under the Grant Assistance for the Cultural Grassroots Project of the Government of Japan, will take place at Sedona Hotel in Yangon on 26 January, 2013. The ceremony will start at 15:30.

H.E. Mr. Numata Mikio, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and U Tun Tun, President of Myanmar Judo Federation, will sign the grant contract.

This project is one of the follow up programs for the Japanese Cultural and Sports Exchange Mission dispatched to Myanmar in June 2012. It is expected that this assistance will contribute to Myanmar’s significant effort as a host country in the SEA games 2013 which will be held in Myanmar.

Myanmar Judo Federation has introduced Judo and tried to make Judo popular in Myanmar since its foundation in 1958. However Myanmar Judo Federation has strict budgets and is unable to provide sufficient equipments. Most of the required equipments are facing the lack of upgrade. Therefore the Government of Japan decided to contribute the assistance of US$ 123,456 for the development of Judo. This assistance, which provides 128 Judo Tatami mats, 100 Judo-gi, and 1 Judo-gi Control, is expected to be fully used in the games of the SEA games 2013. After the SEA Games 2013, these equipments will be used for the development of Judo in Myanmar. As the result, it is estimated that more over 3,000 people will get benefits.

This assistance will also provide an opportunity to promote cultural exchange between Japan and Myanmar.