Mural Marks 160th Anniversary of Japan-Germany Relations

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:39 JST, January 28, 2021

To celebrate the 160th anniversary of relations between Japan and Germany, a mural featuring figures who had close ties with both countries was unveiled on Thursday at the German Embassy in Minato Ward, Tokyo.

The work will be on display on the outer wall of the complex through the end of the year.

The 80-meter-long painting recognizes notable personages who helped deepen friendship and goodwill between the two countries through their contributions in six fields: medicine and science; culture; trade and economy; music; sports; and politics. Those depicted include German doctor and naturalist Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796-1866) and novelist Ogai Mori (1862-1922).

The mural also highlights some historic events, such as a scene expressing peoples’ excitement at the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall.

Formal bilateral relations between the two countries date back to 1861, when Japan and Prussia signed a commercial treaty, according to the embassy.