jcccnc / about / press / shinzen 2003

San Francisco (July 21, 2003) - The 2003 Shinzen USA Nikkei Youth Goodwill Basketball Program’s Wings of Peace Tour departs San Francisco for its four-city tour of Japan on July 27.

Two teams comprised of twenty-four Bay Area boys and girls aged 14-15 years old will serve as community goodwill ambassadors to the cities of Kobe, Osaka and Hiroshima. Rather than organizing all-star teams, these players were selected by an application, essay and interview process emphasizing their Nikkei community involvement and leadership skills.

Shinzen in Japanese means international goodwill or amity. This program seeks to promote the values of fair play and competition, while fostering ties between the Japanese and Japanese American communities. Shinzen teams will participate in intercultural exchanges, homestays with host families, and basketball games with local youth.

Highlighting this year’s 12-day itinerary are a three-day stay at Kobe YMCA’s Rokko Mountain Camp, and visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park on August 6th, the anniversary of the Atomic bombing in 1945. The Shinzen teams will lay 1000 origami cranes at the Sadoko Statue in tribute to the young victims of the bombing, and honor other victims by making Toro Nagashi (paper lanterns) decorated with messages of peace and releasing them on the Motoyasu River at sundown.

The Shinzen program is organized by the JCCCNC, Kobe YMCA, Osaka YMCA, Hiroshima YMCA, and supported by the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, All Nippon Airways, and the Consulate General of Japan, San Francisco.

Nikkei Youth Goodwill Basketball Program History

In 1995 the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) and the Office of the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco began discussing ways to create a more dynamic and meaningful exchange program between the US and Japan. It was agreed that although there are a substantial number of traditional cultural and intellectual exchanges, there exists a greater need for meaningful dialogue and goodwill exchange between youth in Japan and Japanese American Youth.

The Nikkei Youth Basketball Goodwill Program will continue to provide unique opportunities for not only the exchange of friendly competition, but also for building a foundation for the exchange of ideas and important values of our young people today, ensuring a strong future for our US/Japan relations.

	L to R, Back row - Coach Jonathan Chin, Kevin Obana, Cary Kato, Matthew Mizono, Jason Thai, Thomas Kamei, Marc Tambara Front row - Zachary Gee, Tony Nakamoto, Alexander Gong, Dustin Hedani, John Kawamura, Devin Wong
	L to R, Back row - Asst Coach Deirdre Howard, Jamie Hirano, Rachelle Hata, Hillary Nakano, Traci Otsuki, Lora Honda, Lisa Mizuiri, Coach Erika Iwamura Front row - Kerri Sakaue, Lindsay Chu, Kimberly Hom, Kerry Inokuchi, Kaitlin Katsura, Remi Mizuiri

About the JCCCNC

Envisioned by the Japanese American community, JCCCNC will be an everlasting foundation of our Japanese American ancestry, cultural heritage, histories and traditions. The JCCCNC strives to meet the evolving needs of the Japanese American community through programs, affordable services and facility usage. The JCCCNC is a non-profit community center based in San Francisco.

For more information, please contact:

Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC)
415.567.5505