Logo Competition: 150 Years of Friendship between Japan and Belgium

In 2016, Japan and Belgium will celebrate 150 years of diplomatic relations and friendship. In the run-up to this year of friendship, a public competition is being held to select the official anniversary logo. The competition is open to any resident of Japan or Belgium, as well as to all holders of Japanese or Belgian citizenship. The deadline for entries is 20 December 2014.

Japan and Belgium established diplomatic relations with each other in 1866, with the signature of their first Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation. In May 2014, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and Prime Minister Elio di Rupo of Belgium agreed that both countries would take the opportunity presented in 2016 by the 150th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations to underscore the many things that the two countries have in common, to strengthen the ties of friendship, and to encourage cultural exchange.

With this in mind, Japan and Belgium are launching a public competition to select the official logo of the anniversary, which will be used in communication regarding all the activities associated to the anniversary in the course of 2016.

The competition is open to all Japanese and Belgian nationals, as well as to anyone residing in Japan or Belgium at the time of the competition, irrespective of citizenship. The deadline for competition entries is 20 December 2014. There will be first and second-place prizes, as well as up to three additional “Prizes of excellence” for outstanding work. The competition winners will be notified of the results in February 2015.

Residents of Belgium and Belgian citizens residing outside Japan should submit their entries to the Embassy of Japan in Belgium. Residents of Japan and Japanese citizens residing outside Belgium should submit their entries to the Embassy of Belgium in Japan.

Further information on the precise rules of the competition, technical requirements and the process in general can be found on the following websites:

The Embassy of Japan in Belgium: Download PDF file

The Embassy of Belgium in Japan: http://diplomatie.belgium.be/japan

If you have any inquiries, please contact:
Embassy of Japan in Belgium
E-Mail: 150logo@bx.mofa.go.jp
Tel: +32 2 513 2340