Consul-General Attends UTP Japanese Cultural Festival 2026
2026/9/30
On September 30th, Mr. Shinya Machida, Consul-General of Japan in Penang, attended the Japanese Cultural Festival 2026 held at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Seri Iskandar, Perak, and interacted with Mr. Mohamed Firouz Asnan, President of UTP, members of the Japanese Cultural Club and students.
The festival was organised mainly by students of the UTP Japanese Cultural Club and featured a wide range of displays and activities introducing Japanese culture, including calligraphy, origami, kendama, yukata, hina dolls, traditional boys’ festival decorations, manga and traditional Japanese games, as well as food and beverage booths offering ramen, gyoza and matcha. The Consulate-General also set up a booth introducing Japanese culture. A UTP student who had undertaken an internship in Japan also shared what she had learned through her research and daily life in Japan, including the concepts of “omotenashi,” “omoiyari” and “ho-ren-so.”
Mr. Machida toured the festival booths with members of the Japanese Cultural Club and interacted with students on Japanese culture and manga. He also exchanged views with members of the Club on participation in Japanese cultural events in Penang, including Bon Odori and Yosakoi, their future activities and plans to visit Japan. Mr. Machida also exchanged views with President Firouz and other UTP representatives on international student exchanges, overseas programmes, internships, student-led extracurricular activities and cooperation with industry. President Firouz expressed his hope that relations between Japan and Malaysia would further develop from “learning from Japan” towards “learning with Japan and working with Japan.”
The Consulate-General of Japan in Penang will continue to deepen exchanges with UTP and its students and to promote further exchanges between the younger generations, universities and students of Japan and Malaysia through Japanese culture and other activities.
The festival was organised mainly by students of the UTP Japanese Cultural Club and featured a wide range of displays and activities introducing Japanese culture, including calligraphy, origami, kendama, yukata, hina dolls, traditional boys’ festival decorations, manga and traditional Japanese games, as well as food and beverage booths offering ramen, gyoza and matcha. The Consulate-General also set up a booth introducing Japanese culture. A UTP student who had undertaken an internship in Japan also shared what she had learned through her research and daily life in Japan, including the concepts of “omotenashi,” “omoiyari” and “ho-ren-so.”
Mr. Machida toured the festival booths with members of the Japanese Cultural Club and interacted with students on Japanese culture and manga. He also exchanged views with members of the Club on participation in Japanese cultural events in Penang, including Bon Odori and Yosakoi, their future activities and plans to visit Japan. Mr. Machida also exchanged views with President Firouz and other UTP representatives on international student exchanges, overseas programmes, internships, student-led extracurricular activities and cooperation with industry. President Firouz expressed his hope that relations between Japan and Malaysia would further develop from “learning from Japan” towards “learning with Japan and working with Japan.”
The Consulate-General of Japan in Penang will continue to deepen exchanges with UTP and its students and to promote further exchanges between the younger generations, universities and students of Japan and Malaysia through Japanese culture and other activities.
