German President Horst Koehler left Berlin on Saturday for Tokyo for the official opening of the campaign "Germany in Japan 2005-2006" to promote awareness of Germany among the Japanese. Besides Tokyo, Koehler also is to visit Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Kobe during his four-day trip. Together with Crown Prince Naruhito, Koehler will officially launch the year-long "Germany in Japan" campaign, starting with the opening of an exhibition at Tokyo's National Museum of selected masterpieces from Berlin's downtown Island of Museums. Last month, 250 treasures from the Saxony state art museum in Dresden went on display in Kobe through May 22. The campaign will also showcase Germany's vast capabilities in industry and science as well, with more than 50 German firms participating to present their design, fashion, photography, electronics, optical gear and other products and technologies. Studies in Japan show that while the Japanese often have a notion of Germany's heritage - its beer, Bavaria's famous Neuschwanstein castle, the Lorelei or Goethe - interest in Germany has fallen dramatically over the years among young Japanese. When it comes to fashion and lifestyle, Italy and France have a hip edge over Germany.
