2016 marks the 50th Anniversary of Singapore-Japan Diplomatic Relations (SJ50). Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia, a leader in 
print and enterprise content management, today announced its sponsorship of the golden jubilee as the Official Document Management Company in support of inclusiveness for the SJ50 public Mall Event held at The Paragon shopping centre from October 21 to 23, 2016. The autograph cards and post cards featuring a selection of iconic works by renowned calligraphy artist and Down syndrome advocate Shoko Kanazawa are produced with Konica Minolta technology.
“Konica Minolta and Singapore have a longstanding relationship and we are proud to be part of the celebrations in support of inclusiveness. As a global company that creates new value to improve quality of life, we believe the power of inclusiveness and collaboration will drive innovation for the future and have a positive influence on the society and business we serve.” said Tadayuki Funakura, Managing Director Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia.
The SJ50 Mall Event will include calligraphy performance titled ‘A Stroke of Genius’ by Shoko Kanazawa and piano recital titled ‘The Sound of Silence’ by award-winning pianist Azariah Tan.
Stroke of Genius by Shoko Kanazawa A self-advocate with Down syndrome, Kanazawa-san is one of the most noted young calligraphers today with many accomplishments. In 2013, she has transcribed a poem by the Japanese Emperor which was recognised as a Japanese monument and established the Shoko Kanazawa Museum in Ginza, Tokyo which displays a personal exhibition of her works. In 2015, Shoko conveyed an inspirational message of hope at the ‘World Down Syndrome Day Conference’ held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.
The Sound of Silence by Azariah Tan Though diagnosed with a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, Azariah has scored distinctions at numerous piano examinations across the world. The pianist’s performances have been broadcasted over the Yugoslavian National TV, and he has been featured over the Voice of America and on the Singapore Mediacorp TV Channels. Azariah holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance and a double Masters in Music degree at the University of Michigan.
