Turkish Year To Be Celebrated In Japan In 2003

ANKARA - ''Turkish Year'' will be celebrated in Japan in 2003.
The Culture Ministry said on Sunday that Turkish Year Activities would start with folk dances performances.
Amateur Youth Folk Dances Team and Folk Music Group, Hacibektas Folk Dances Team and Abdallar Folk Music Group will greet Japanese people at the Shibuya Concert Hall in Japanese capital Tokyo between February 24 and 27.
The Culture Ministry will join the Tokyo International Book Fair between April 24 and 27 with a number of works.
Within the framework of the activities, a number of exhibitions will be opened to promote Turkish art and handicrafts.
The exhibition entitled: ''Three Great Empires in Anatolia: Hittite, Byzantine and Ottoman'' will be opened in Japan in August.
Japanese state-run TV channel NHK will undertake sponsorship of the exhibition.
Also, Japanese people will have the opportunity of watching the best samples of Turkish films within the framework of the activities.
The films to be chosen by the Culture Ministry will be shown at Japanese National Art Museum Film Center in September within the scope of Turkish Films Week.