OREANDA-NEWS. August 11, 2008. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Mutsuo Mabuchi and Ukrainian Economy Minister Bohdan Danylyshyn signed in Kyiv Wednesday the agreement on a Japanese Government grant to Kharkiv's State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after Lysenko, reported the Official website www.kmu.gov.ua.

The grant of JPY 46.1 million (about USD 430,000) is provided for the purchase, transportation and installment of lighting equipment.

The Ambassador says Kharkiv shows a great interest in Japanese culture. Its National and Pedagogy universities teach Japanese language, and a regional Japanese cultural center opened in the city with Japan's support. There are many admirers of Japan's flower arrangement and origami arts in Kharkiv, where a sumo federation is also functioning. That is why the 10th jubilee cultural grant was provided to the Kharkiv opera house.

The sum total of the grants given to Ukrainian culture institutions from 1998 tops USD 4.2 million.