We held the "15th Annual Asia Fair in Oyama."

The 15th "Asia Fair You Don't Know" in Oyama was held on October 25, 2009. The venue was the plaza in front of the Itabashi Metropolitan Tax Office, near the APFS office.

This year, food stalls from eight countries—the Philippines, Bangladesh, Burma, Pakistan, Iran, China, South Korea, and Hungary—were set up. Volunteers Nayoung (South Korea) and Virag (Hungary) also set up stalls. In addition to the food stalls, there were various events throughout the day, including a flea market, a fashion show featuring traditional costumes from each country, and live music performances from the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Iran. Unfortunately, it rained in the morning, but the rain stopped later in the day, and we were able to successfully conclude the Asia Fair.

This year's Asia Fair, the 15th of its kind, was a great success. We received cooperation from the shopping district, and some of their shops even set up stalls. The Iranian music and Filipino bands were a huge hit, and many participants danced along to the music. There were fewer Japanese participants than expected, so let's work hard to get more Japanese people to participate next year!

Since the July changes to the guidelines regarding special permission to stay in Japan, APFS has been facing a series of difficult situations, including the detention of some of its members. Amidst these challenging circumstances for members seeking special permission to stay in Japan, this event provided a fun opportunity for members to support one another and interact with local residents. If you couldn't make it this year, please come and join us next year!