Ho Chi Minh City will host a series ofactivities featuring Japanese culture and education that will last fora month, starting on Nov. 10.

The Month of Japanese Culture, part of the Japan-Mekong Year 2009, isco-organised by the Japanese Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and relevantVietnamese agencies, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism.

Highlights of the programme will be performances by the Okinawa-Churaart troupe, Japanese films, and the Wa-daiko drum performance and robotshow.

The Japan-Mekong Year is also celebrated through the Mekong-JapanTourism Days which will take place in the Mekong Delta city of Can Thofrom December 1-5.

During the Tourism Days, a symposium will be held on promotingsustainable tourism in the Mekong Delta, as well as a trade fair, aMekong-Japan culture-tourism photo exhibition, and a Mekong-Japantraditional art exchange programme.

The 2009 Japan-Mekong Year is held under an initiative adopted at the 2008 Mekong-Japan Ministerial Meeting.

In the context of steadily expanding relations between Japan and fiveMekong river countries, more than 50 exchange activities are planned totake place in Japan , Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar , Thailand and Vietnam.

Among those countries, Vietnam has received special attention fromJapan in terms of cooperation and aid—Japan has devoted 50 percent ofits ODA for Mekong river countries to Vietnam./.