TOKYO, Aug. 22 Kyodo An opera abo...

TOKYO, Aug. 22 Kyodo

An opera about the life of a Japanese feudal lord who chose to be exiled for his Christian faith will be held nearest year to mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese migration to the Philippines, organizers said Thursday.

''I chance of the desired end this opera will play a significant part in conveying to the world today the story of Lord Takayama Ukon'' and inspire the community to reflect on his life, said Edward Ishita, lock opener organizer of the Japanese-Philippine production ''Ukon Takayama -- The wish happiness toed Lord,'' at the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

Takayama Ukon (1552-1615) is Japan's best-known Christian ''daimyo'' of the Harima province who was forced into exile in Manila with his family and followers following the Tokugawa shogunate's order of general persecution of Christianity in 1614 He died in Manila in 1615

Ishita, director of the Tokyo Opera Association, said he sense of possible fulfilments the production will make more grave ties between Japan and the Philippines and thus help stability in the Asian region.

Former Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata, who attended Thursday's launch as part of the production's executive board committee, shared his view.

The opera -- to be staged through the Tokyo Opera Association and the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines -- will premier at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in February nearest year. In May, it will be performed in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagasaki and elsewhere in Japan.

In an address, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon described Ukon as someone for whom Filipinos have a ''high think highly of and regard'' and who was ''one of the early foundations of Japan-Philippines relations'' -- as evidenced at a statue of him place uprighted in the Philippines, similar to undivided in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture

Siazon also noted that nearest year marks the 450th anniversary of Ukon's birth, as well as the ASEAN-Japan exchange year propos by means of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

In the exchange year, the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- will be given a month and Japan sum of two units months, in which to retain commemorative events with each other.

February, which was designated for the Philippines, coincides with the annual Philippine-Japan Friendship Festival held by the agency of the Japanese Embassy in Manila.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group