We organized a European Art Tour to coincide with a performance by the violinist supported by our organization, who played as a soloist with an orchestra at the Herkulessaal in Munich. Led by Mr. Yasuhiro Wakebayashi, founder and chairman of Nihon M&A Center Inc., approximately 20 participants took part in the 11-day, 9-night tour, during which they deepened their bonds. The tour, which spanned three countries and four cities, began in Switzerland. In Switzerland, participants attended a dinner with Mr. Merzbacher, an Auschwitz survivor who owns nearly all the artworks in Kunsthaus Zürich, the largest art museum in Switzerland, as well as dr. Schaer, Europe’s largest classic car collector. They also enjoyed a private tour of the Béjart Ballet and an exclusive meeting with its artistic director, Gil Roman. In Germany, the group had lunch with Mr. Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW, attended a concert at the Herkulessaal, and enjoyed an opera performance. The tour concluded in Malta, where, with the guidance of the Presidential Office, participants toured the Presidential Palace and had a private viewing of hidden Caravaggio masterpieces.

The legendary instrument, Antonio Stradivarius "Lady Jeanne," which was purchased for a record-breaking price 10 years ago, has been released by its owner and we successfully brought it to Japan after negotiations with a renowned American instrument dealer. To celebrate this momentous occasion, two prestigious venues, Aman Tokyo and the Ogasawara Mansion, were exclusively reserved for a special concert. The event was made possible with the support of Japanese violin maker and dealer, who also arranged for eight other exceptional instruments, including those crafted by Niccolò Amati, Stradivarius's mentor, to be present. The combined value of these instruments exceeded $13.8 million, making it an unforgettable event for music enthusiasts. Before and after the concert, Remy Cointreau Japan, a sponsor of the event, offered tastings of Louis XIII, and the venue was graced with the sound of toasts made with custom Baccarat glasses.

The hand-painted shunga "Shunshoku Higi Cho" by Katsushika Hokusai was put up for auction in Paris in 2012 as part of the former collection of De Sturler. De Sturler was the head of the Dutch trading post in Dejima, Nagasaki, during the late Edo period and is known for his association with Siebold, the renowned physician regarded as a pioneer of Western studies. In 1826, De Sturler received this hand-painted shunga alongside Siebold. This 6-meter-long, 12-piece shunga collection had never been publicly displayed before. Now owned by a Japanese collector, negotiations led to the arrangement of this world premiere in Tokyo, marking its first public presentation after nearly 200 years. The event was held in the most luxurious suite at the BVLGARI Hotel Tokyo, the Bvlgari Suite, gathering invited guests from both Japan and abroad. In one of the suite’s rooms, a concurrent exhibition of Japanese swords was held, featuring treasures of national importance, including swords passed down through the Uesugi family, known for Uesugi Kenshin, presented with the cooperation of the Japan Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords. The event commenced with a shakuhachi performance and was complemented by finger foods curated by Niccolò Mito, creating a profound occasion for deepening the appreciation of Japan’s artistic and cultural heritage.

This event, hosted by the System Change Foundation in Liechtenstein, was held as an opportunity for Japanese and international wealthy individuals and philanthropists to come together and share their views on shaping the world of tomorrow. The System Change Foundation, owned by the Hilti family, one of Liechtenstein's most prestigious families, is an organization that plays an important role in events such as the Davos Conference. A dinner was held for the Hilti family, who were visiting Japan.

Our company was in charge of planning and attracting guests to this event. We invited guests, arranged entertainment (violin performance), and Nagai Sake Brewery provided sparkling sake, which the participants thoroughly enjoyed.

​We planned a test drive event for Aston Martin's first models arriving in Japan.
The event took place at the Aston Martin House in Aoyama, and after the test drive, Bollinger champagne, which also appears in the 007 films, was served.
After the catered meal, a presentation in English was given by the Hatoba family, who are heraldic painters who have inherited the skill of painting crests, an intangible cultural heritage, for generations. It was a great event that deepened international exchange while learning about the differences between Eastern and Western cultures.

The Japan Expo was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where four affiliated artists, including our organization’s representative director, were invited to perform on the main stage. The event took place at Burj Park, located next to the iconic Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Over the course of three days, the Expo attracted 20,000 attendees. This event was spearheaded by Emaar Properties, one of the largest government-backed real estate developers in the UAE and the Middle East, with support from Japanese companies expanding into the UAE, including MUJI and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. Our organization’s performance was highly acclaimed, garnering coverage from "ARAB NEWS," one of the largest news media outlets in the Middle East, and attracting numerous offers to purchase the artworks created during the live painting session held as part of the performance.

Our organization’s work began with the artist dispatch initiative to provide high-quality arts education to all children. While arts education is often deprioritized, it is an essential foundation for the future of humanity. We believe every child, regardless of their circumstances, deserves access to these opportunities.

In Japan, arts budgets were cut by 10% from 2020 to 2023. It reduced dedicated arts teachers and impacting public school programs. Meanwhile, the U.S. allocated about 3.8% of its education budget to the arts in 2021-2022, and the UK expanded its investment in arts education under the "Creative Industries Strategy." These differences in cultural policy may harm Japan’s cultural diversity and international competitiveness.

In developing countries, the situation is even more dire, with very few opportunities for children to engage with the arts.

In 2021, our representative director, who was a ballet dancer at the time, started this initiative by offering ballet classes at her own expense in Japanese orphanages, schools for the deaf, and special needs classes, as well as in four schools in Sri Lanka. After renewal of our organization in August 2024, we plan to expand by dispatching artists from various fields, including music, painting, and traditional arts.

References: MEXT "Report on Budget Allocation from FY2021," U.S. Department of Education "2021-2022 Arts Education Budget Report," UK Government "Creative Industries Strategy."