Itohara Yasue, the seconded Japanese official to the NEAR Secretariat, visited the NEAR Secretariat and had a dialogue. The NEAR Secretariat provided Ms. Itohara with an overview of NEAR events for the second half of the year, including the NEAR Subcommittee on Educational and Cultural Exchange, which will take place in Shimane Prefecture in August, as well as NEAR Secretary-General’s upcoming business trip to Japan. They also asked Ms. Itohara, as the seconded Japanese official, to take a major role for the development of NEAR by actively communicating with other Japanese member regions.

Ms. Itohara said that, although she works in Shimane Prefecture, she will make every effort to assist the NEAR Secretariat’s work. Currently, there are three seconded officials working at the NEAR Secretariat office (from Russia, Mongolia, and China), while the Japanese official is working in Japan due to local circumstances.