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apfseditor 
The 15th Anata ga Shiranai Asia Fair in Oyama was held on October 25, 2009. The venue was the square in front of the Itabashi Metropolitan Tax Office, which is near the APFS office.
This year, there were stalls from eight countries: the Philippines, Bangladesh, Burma, Pakistan, Iran, China, Korea, and Hungary. Volunteers Nayeon (Korea) and Virag (Hungary) also set up stalls. In addition to the stalls, there was a flea market, a fashion show featuring national costumes from each country, and live music from the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Iran, among other events. Unfortunately, it rained in the morning on the day, but the rain cleared up midway through, and the Asia Fair was able to finish safely.
The 15th annual Asia Fair was a great success. We received cooperation from the shopping district, and some of the shops in the shopping district also set up stalls. The Iranian music and the Filipino band were very lively, and many of the participants danced to the music. There were fewer Japanese participants than expected, so we'll try our best to get more Japanese people to participate next year!
Since the change in the guidelines regarding special residence permits in July, APFS has been facing difficult times, including the detention of members. While the situation remains difficult for members seeking special residence permits, this was a fun event where members could help each other and interact with local people. If you weren't able to come this year, please come and visit us next year!