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Jakarta – Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik on Sunday saw off the expedition cruise ship Spirit of Majapahit as it departed from the Batavia Marina in North Jakarta for its eight-country tour.

“The expedition cruise of the Spirit of Majapahit ship reflects the maritime spirit of Indonesia that continues to surge. This maritime spirit has become the character of Indonesia,” Jero said.

The Spirit of Majapahit, a reconstruction of a 13th-century Majapahit-era merchant ship copied from the relief panels at Borobudur, will visit Brunei, the Philippines, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

The ship, built by 15 craftsmen in Madura, is unique because of its oval shape with two sharp ends designed to break through waves of up to five meters.

Made from old and dry teak, petung bamboo, and a type of wood from Sumenep, East Java, the vessel, Indonesia’s largest traditional ship, is 20 meters long, 4.5 wide and two meters tall.

It has two wooden steering wheels at the stern and an outrigger on both sides that serves as a counterweight.

The sails are attached to poles forming an equilateral triangle, and the stern of the vessel is higher than the front porch.

But unlike the traditional ship on which it was modeled, this modern-day version is equipped with state-of -the art navigation equipment, including Global Positioning System, Nav-Tex and a marine radar.

The reconstruction was the result of advice and recommendations from the “Discovering Majapahit Ship Design” seminar held by the Majapahit Japan Association, a group of entrepreneurs in Japan who pay tribute to the history and culture of the Majapahit Empire .

The association is a vehicle for developing cooperation and researching the history of the Majapahit Empire more thoroughly so that it can be admired by Indonesians and the international community.

Jero said he hoped the expedition would encourage the younger generation of Indonesians to appreciate the spirit of Majapahit Empire, which flourished on Java from 1293 to about 1500. He said he hoped the greatness and glory of the empire could be enjoyed, appreciated and regarded as a source of pride by young Indonesians.

The Spirit of Majapahit is skippered by two officers, Major (Navy) Deni Eko Hartono and Risky Prayudi, with three Japanese crew members, including Yoshiyuki Yamamoto from the Majapahit Japan Association, who is the leader of the expedition.

There are also some young Indonesians aboard the vessel and five crew members from the Bajo tribe of Sumenep.

The Spirit of Majapahit will be preserved in a museum and turned into a tourist attraction after it returns to Indonesia from its journey.

Antara News Agency

via The Jakarta Globe

via Java ship seeks ancient Japan ties | The Japan Times Online.

via Ancient ship replica helps fund Java dig | The Japan Times Online.

Editor – BAJA was contacted by the ship’s organizers regarding a souvenir, but due to some error on our part, we never did get to meet up with them when the ship was in Brunei on Friday 30th July until it left port at 4pm on Saturday 31st July 2010.  We sincerely apologise to the ship’s organizers and hope them safe seas and favourable winds on their onward journey.

Application for the 3rd Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) will be accepted from August 2 to September 15, 2010 at the Embassy of Japan.

On Sunday, December 5, the Embassy of Japan in cooperation with the Japan Foundation will conduct the 3rd Japanese Language Proficiency Test under the theme “The Gateway to Japan!” at the Chancellor Hall of UBD, according to a press release from the Embassy of Japan in Brunei.

“This JLPT is the world’s largest Japanese language test which is conducted annually in Japan and 53 countries to evaluate and certify the Japanese language proficiency of non-native speakers. More than 770,000 people have made the most of the test for their further studies in Japan, businesses opportunities or hobbies to enjoy the Japanese culture such as music and Mime.

“Moreover, the test has been made even more useful for Bruneian examinees after the Embassy started conducting the JLPT in Brunei Darussalam two years ago prior to which they had to go to Sabah University, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to take the JLPT.

“The JLPT was reformed in order to enhance the quality of test, and now provides 5 levels (N1, N2, N3, N4, N5) instead of 4 ranging from N1 as the most advanced level to N5 as the beginner’s one. The N3 level is newly established which is comparable to a level between Level 2 and Level 3 in the old test. Increasing the number of levels allows examinees to choose a more precise level based on their ability.

“The details are available on the website of the Embassy, http://www.bn.emb-japan.go.jp.

“Application forms which cost B$5 are now available at the cultural section of the Embassy and need to be registered before September 15, 2010. An application fee of B$30 will be charged for each test grade.

“The Embassy of Japan hopes that many Bruneians will take this opportunity to try the test and make it their gateway to Japan,” said the press release.

For further inquiries, contact: Mr Akira Sato, Embassy of Japan at tel: 2229265, fax: 2229481 or email: embassy@japan.com.bn or http://www.bn.emb-japan.go.jp

— Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Via BruDirect

Armed with new methods and techniques on disaster prevention and control, two representatives from the Ministry of Education (MoE) returned from their 12-day trip in Japan under the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (Jenesys) Programme.

Dk Siti Ummikalthum Pg Hj Muhammad, assistant Public Relations officer and Mas Diana Abdul Samat, deputy Principal (Academic) at Sayyidina Othman Secondary School, both said that the programme had given them new experiences as well as opened their eyes to all the different methods used in disaster prevention. “I learned and gained a lot of new experiences. It really taught me how to be prepared,” said Dk Siti Ummikalthum.

Asked of what systems or drills she had learnt that may be implemented in the Sultanate, she said “We learnt about the 5 Flood Control – the five preventative – measures that the Japanese government is implementing in flood prone areas.”

Mas Diana explained that the system was quite technical in nature as it involved the actual restructuring of rivers and the widening of river banks, which she added, “Brunei is doing as well (the widening of river banks) in response to the heavy flooding that we experienced last year.”

Aside from that, Mas Diana said, “We also learnt about Hazard Mapping which basically tells people what areas are safe or unsafe in that given area.”

She added that she will try to introduce this practice in Sayyidina Othman Secondary School.

Though the 5 Flood Control system was only mentioned briefly in a lecture, as were other precautionary measures, Dk Siti explained, “We have coordinated with the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) so that they can utilise these systems if necessary.”

When asked about the most valuable knowledge that they gained and wished to see implemented here, the two said that witnessing the community in Japan work together to help themselves was the prize of the trip.

Mas Diana said, “What fascinated me the most was the community; how they helped each other to better organise and protect their community against natural disasters.”

“They don’t simply rely on the government for help. Instead they take the initiative and fund themselves; they just asked the government to teach them how to better protect themselves,” added Dk Siti Ummikalthum.

The two shared that the experiences they gained when visiting Maiko High School in Kobe (a natural disaster prevention school for “A” Level students) were exceptionally touching; especially, watching the students’ efforts and dedication in spreading awareness and the solutions to disaster that were top notch.

Meanwhile, two local students from Jerudong International School (JIS) are expected to leave for Japan under the same Jenesys programme for the purpose of developing human resources and to offer Asian youth the opportunity to cultivate their innovative spirit, as stated in a press statement issued by the Japan Embassy.

The programme which will be held in Okinawa, will focus primarily on environmental issues, and specifically, water problems.

Badi Lattif, 16, and Nicole Yau, 17, will be in Japan for three weeks where they will be attending various lectures on environmental issues and working with people from around the world to come up with ideas on how to combat water problems. The two have highlighted overuse, lack of water conservation initiative, and water quality as the main water problems in the Sultanate.

Asked what they hoped to gain from the trip, Yau said ‘Better cultural exchange, and more knowledge on environmental problems.” Meanwhile, Badi said he hoped to “learn more about the Japanese culture, and more modern ways of dealing with water problems.” About 75 students will be taking part in the Jenesys programme.

—Courtesy of The Brunei Times

via BruDirect