The Japan Media Communication Center (JAMCO) is a non-profit foundation established in 1991 to serve the public interest. Its mandate is to promote international exchange and better understanding between Japan and the rest of the world through broadcasting media, and at the same time to help foster broadcasting in developing countries and elsewhere in the world.

One of JAMCO’s most valuable assets is the JAMCO Video Library. Every year JAMCO selects some of the best TV programmes made in Japan and produces their international editions. The JAMCO Video Library now contains over 1,200 video　titles that are made available to broadcasters in the developing countries free of charge via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and The Japan Foundation. It goes without saying that airing of excellent Japanese TV dramas, documentaries, and children’s or educational programmes greatly contributes to better understanding of Japan overseas.

Annual international symposium on the various themes relating to current and future global broadcasting issues is another achievement we are proud of. JAMCO has been organising a series of symposia continuously since its establishment. In a time when the influence of television is tremendously increasing in all parts of the globe, it is duly significant to provide a forum where experts of the world can exchange ideas and information regarding the media.

Following the new format introduced in 2001, the 16th international symposium again takes place on the JAMCO website over a period of two months beginning in January 2007. This year the website forum addresses the theme of “Images of Foreign Countries Shaped by Television”.

Last year we observed how Japan and the Japanese people were reported on television abroad. This year, we will take a close look at what countries the Chinese, the Korean, and the Japanese peoples are looking at and what they are interested in.

From China Professor Liu Zhiming, Director of the Research Center, Institute of Journalism and Communication, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, is making his very provocative presentation, which would make even more sense when read along with what he wrote last year on the image of Japan reflected on Chinese television. His paper will be examined by Professor Kiyoshi Takai of　Hokkaido University who has the first hand knowledge of Chinese media.

From Korea we have a very informative presentation by Professor Lee Yeon of Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sun Moon University, who knows very well how the mass media functions both in Korea and Japan. His presentation will be discussed by Professor Susumu Kohari of the University of Shizuoka, an outstanding scholar of Korean Studies.

From Japan Ms. Yumiko Hara, Associate Director (Research and Survey), Broadcasting Culture Research Institute of Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is making her very interesting presentation on the image of Germany in Japan. Her paper will be discussed by Dr. Hiroko Zendick-Nojiri, a Japanese free-lance journalist resident in Germany.

We would welcome frank opinions and comments from the public on those presentations and discussions. If you wish to be a part of the forum, please send your message to the JAMCO website.

This symposium has been made possible by the generous grants from the Japan Foundation and of the Hoso Bunka Foundation. I am also grateful for the invaluable assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), and the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters of Japan.