Chicago Commemorates One-Year Anniversary of Japan Earthquake

CHICAGO, Feb. 29, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Osaka Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and Japan America Society of Chicago are excited to bring Kizuna: The Bonds of Emotion, Japan Earthquake Photo Exhibition to Chicago, March 12 to March 31.

On Monday, March 12, a custom-curated photo exhibition of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami will open to the public in the lobby of the Thompson Center, State of Illinois Building, at 100 W. Randolph Street in Chicago.

The Office of the Governor of Illinois and Consul General of Japan at Chicago Yoshifumi Okamura will lead in the opening ceremony at noon, welcomed by Japanese children, Japanese musicians, the public and press corps. March 11, 2012 has been officially proclaimed as Japanese Earthquake Commemoration Day in Illinois by Governor Pat Quinn. The media is invited to a press conference and Japanese cuisine reception on the 2^nd floor immediately following the opening ceremony.

The exhibition features photos taken in the Tohoku region by photojournalists from the leading Japanese business newspaper The Nikkei in the immediate aftermath of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and ongoing recovery efforts. The photos included in Chicago's exhibition are 46 selected from more than 100. They are paired in a subtle way to chronicle the catastrophe and then a similar or related photo of the recovery process. The selections here vividly illustrate the human tragedy of this catastrophic disaster and the optimism and resilience of Japanese local citizens as they struggle to rebuild their lives.

The title of the Chicago exhibition, Kizuna: The Bonds of Emotion, uses a character and the word Kizuna to express the bonds of caring and the outreach from every end of the globe to help the Japanese people survive and recover from the unspeakable damage they endured.

These photographs are being exhibited in New York and London as well, all made possible through the generous cooperation of Nikkei Inc. which asks us to recreate their photography collection's theme of Memory – Things We Should Never Forget.

The exhibition will remain in the Thompson Center from March 12 to March 16, and then it moves to The Chicago Photography Collective Gallery at Block 37 from March 21 to March 31. It is free and open to the public.

Photo Opportunity

• Tsukasa Taiko, the leading taiko ensemble in Chicago, will open the ceremony with a thunderous Japanese drum performance.
• Japanese pre-school aged children will make a flower presentation to thank Chicagoans for their support of ongoing recovery efforts in Japan. 

For more information about the Japan Earthquake Photo Exhibition and related activities, visit www.chicagosistercities.com/wp/news/osaka-japan-earthquake-photo-exhibition .

About Chicago Sister Cities International

Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI) provides leadership to develop, manage, and coordinate comprehensive programs and projects with Chicago's 28 sister cities. CSCI is committed to promoting Chicago as a global city, developing international partnerships and networks, and sharing best practices on a city-to-city basis. Osaka and Chicago have been Sister Cities since 1973. For more information, visit www.chicagosistercities.com.

About Japan America Society

The Japan America Society of Chicago's mission is to create and promote Japanese and American friendships.  We do this through business, social, educational and cultural activities.  For more information, please visit www.jaschicago.org.

This photo exhibition was made possible through the support of Barnes & Thornburg LLP; Chicago Board Options Exchange; Chicago Loop Alliance; Chicago Photography Collective; City of Osaka (Chicago Office); Consulate General of Japan at Chicago; Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; Grant Thornton LLP; Japan America Society of Chicago; Japan Society, Inc. (New York); Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago; JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) Chicago; Loyola University School of Communication; Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, LTD; and Office of the Governor of Illinois.