The Japan Inter Culture Foundation (Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Chairperson: Akemi Shimomura) held Tanegashima visit day as a part of the Miss International Beauty Pageant contestants' friendship activities, where they visited Tanegashima of Kagoshima Prefecture to learn about the island's vast nature and history of gun introduction which became the trigger to open Japan to the rest of the world.

The "Miss International Beauty Pageant" (hereinafter "Miss International") is one of the world's three largest beauty pageants, along with Miss World and Miss Universe. It started in 1960 and celebrates its 59th anniversary this year. The aim is to deepen exchanges among beautiful and high-willed women who want to contribute to the international community, such as international friendship and world peace.

From November 2nd (Sat) to November 3rd (Sun), 3 of the 82 Miss International Beauty Pageant contestants, Miss Taiwan, Miss Portugal and Miss Australia visited Tanegashima in Kagoshima Prefecture. After arriving in Tanegashima, they had an exchange party with students from Tanegashima Chuo High School. They also visited Cape Kadokura at the southernmost tip of Tanegashima, which has the view of Yakushima and the beautiful coastline, and Nishinoomote City Pistol Museum, where documents related to the introduction of guns in 1543 are stored.
Through the program, they experienced Tanegashima's magnificent nature and historical charm.

<Overview of Tanegashima visit day>
■Date: November 2nd (Sat)  - November 3rd (Sun), 2019　
■ Overview:
[November 2nd (Sat) ]
・ 12:30-13:30 Tanegashima Golf Resort
・ 14:00-15:05 Exchange meeting with students from Tanegashima Chuo High School
・ 15:40-16:40 Walk around Cape Kadokura
・ 18:30-20:30 Welcome dinner
[November 3rd (Sun)]
・ 8:30-10:00 Photo session in front of Iwasaki Hotel
・ 17:00-17:40 Visit to Nishinoomote City Pistol Museum

Photo from Tanegashima visit day

■ The 59th Miss International World Pageant

■ About “Miss International”
Miss International, officially called “Miss International Beauty Pageant”, started in the United States in 1960. Although it was held in the United States for the first seven years, the right to hold the event was transferred to Japan in commemoration of the Japan World Exposition (1970 / Osaka). The world pageant where representatives of each country wishing for international peace gather as “goodwill ambassadors of beauty and peace” is held every year with a purpose to broadcast "prayers for peace" and the beauty of Japan to many countries around the globe. Also, Miss International conducts international exchange activities at the individual level. Through social contribution activities such as “Greening Promotion Campaign” and “Miss International Forum” as well as “Charity Events”, we are deepening friendship and goodwill between Japan and the rest of the world. “Miss International” official website: https://www.miss-international.org/jp/

■ About the "Japan Inter Culture Foundation”
In April 1969, the Japan Inter Culture Foundation was authorized and established as an external organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cultural Exchange Department) for the purpose of "friendship and goodwill with countries around the world" through the exchange of world culture and art. Since then, as an international contribution project, we have been developing a wide range of interchange of people based on the slogans of "realizing world peace through mutual understanding" and "correct understanding of Japan in the international community."