The government’s move to revitalise the Look East Policy is a good opportunity for Malaysians to study the culture of Japan, which has long played an important role in making it among the world’s leading industrial nations.
The National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) has long had a collaborative relationship with the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia and the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur (JFKL). Together they have organised many successful cultural events, especially in 2017 in conjunction with the celebration of 60th anniversary of Malaysia-Japan diplomatic relations.
Among the activities held were the Kimono Lecture and Demonstration by Nobuaki Tomita, a kimono stylist, and a Noh Theatre Workshop by Soichiro Hayashi. Aswara also collaborated with the ONE ASIA Joint Concert Executive Committee for the “Japan-Malaysia Music Festival”, a traditional music performance. In an interview recently, Aswara rector Professor Datuk Ir Dr Mohd Rizon Juhari and Centre for Postgraduate Studies deputy dean Dr Wong Oi Min share the academy’s Japan-Malaysia art and cultural exchange programmes and how Malaysia could learn from some of its standards and ideals.
Q. We understand that you recently went on a working visit to Japan to explore opportunities to collaborate with the relevant institutions in film-making. Why was Japan chosen?
Prof Rizon: When the new government started to revitalise the Look East Policy, we felt that it was apt that people in the arts industry should continue learning from Japan’s success story in arts and culture. As we know, Japan is one of the world’s foremost inventors, who are proud of their artistic heritage and continue to nurture it among their younger generation.
Japan is also one of the world’s leading filmmakers. The world recognises their famous film directors like Akira Kurosawa, Hayao Miyazaki, Yasujiro Ozu and so on. Therefore, if Malaysian filmmakers want to go forward, then students, lecturers and those in the film industry, including those in Aswara, must strive to increase their knowledge. Japan definitely has a lot to offer us in this area.
Q. What are among the factors that have made the Japanese so deeply rooted in their cultural values?
Prof Rizon: I am lucky to have been chosen to pursue my university studies in Japan during the early years of the Look East Policy up to the doctorate level. I was in Japan for 15 years, and from my observation, they are able to conserve their culture and values because the Japanese are aware of the role of culture as their identity or image.
Therefore, they are proud of their heritage and such a culture has managed to form a harmonious Japanese society. Besides, there is a high level of collective awareness in the society that has made it easier for the Japanese to practise good values and ensure that they are passed on from one generation to the next consistently.
Q. How has the Japanese education system influenced the nation’s appreciation for arts and culture?
Prof Rizon: In addition to their own cultural values, we can also learn from the Japanese educational values. In the early years of education, children are not overly burdened by homework but rather they are encouraged to open their minds to be independent, mingle with their peers, be hygienic, practise collective responsibility and understand the relationship between nature and community.
Students are indirectly equipped to be self-reliant and taught to clean the classrooms and arrange the cutlery after every meal. In addition, they are also encouraged to experience and appreciate nature and their surroundings. They are brought on school trips to learn about the local community and its economic activities, such as rice fields, vegetable farms and handicraft centres.
To nurture a generation of youngsters who would appreciate the Japanese traditional performing arts, Japanese students are also exposed to shows that are appropriate for their age group, for example, bunraku (Japanese traditional puppet theatre), noh or kabuki. It would be nice if our students here were also given the same opportunity and exposure to watch traditional shows, such as wayang kulit, makyung, mek mulong and bangsawan.
If our students are exposed to such things early and consistently, we will always have an audience with basic knowledge of the art and who are able to appreciate them better.
Q. Can you please share with us the outcome of your recent working trip to Japan?
Prof Rizon: Aswara has started initiating collaborations with three film institutions there. One of them is the Japan Institute of the Moving Images (JIMI) or the Nihon Eiga Daigaku, Kawasaki-City, in Kanagawa. JIMI is the sole institution of private universities in Japan offering film programmes outside of Tokyo.
The second institution is the School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. Aswara and Tokyo University of Fine Arts have agreed on student and lecturer exchange programmes. In addition, Aswara students might have the opportunity to pursue their master’s degree and doctorate at the institute.
Thirdly, we visited Imagica Corporation (Kabushiki-gaisha Imajika), a post-production company for films, television programmes, advertising and others. We had discussions on future collaborations for Aswara’s students and lecturers to explore the possibility of learning about post-production at Imagica.
Q. Why is creativity and cultural exchange vital in Japan-Malaysia bilateral relations?
Wong: The establishment of Japan Foundation’s branch office in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1990s by organising free public events and offering grants to support activities had indeed changed the landscape of cultural exchanges between Japan and Malaysia. Malaysians had great privilege to watch Medea directed by the late Yukio Ninagawa, learn acting with Hideki Noda, watch Kyogen performed by Mansai Nomura and numerous other works. Jenesys 2.0 coordinated by the Embassy of Japan gave opportunities to youth to experience the cultural values of the Japanese society.
Q. We learnt that the artist Un Yamada had a successful Artist Residency programme with Aswara. Can you share how this initiative haS impacted the Aswara community and Malaysian dancers in general?
Wong: The idea to have Un Yamada, the dancer-choreographer to be our Resident Artist came after we saw her performance at Aswara at the invitation of the Faculty of Dance for a solo performance at Festival Tari’13. She has something unique and special about her. Not only her energy, her dynamism and diverse body movements that have defined intelligence and wit in dance, but also more importantly, she has influenced us with her frank and ebullient spirit.
Our students learnt how to create a piece of artwork from the process of a research and also through her dance techniques. She also choreographed dance pieces beyond the Aswara community and we witnessed a few dancers who worked with her grow in terms of thinking and choreography.
Q. You are the first Malaysian to study theatre in Japan for 12 years. In terms of arts and culture, what would you like to see more of in the revitalised Look East policy?
Wong: It should be in bridging the gap to give equal opportunities to all age groups and not focusing solely on the young. I do agree that the younger generation should be given exposure and nurtured at an early stage but, at the same time, the older generation or matured adults should be given the chance to continue with the learning process or the privilege and support to explore new things.