Kanagawa Governor Kuroiwa Yuji sings in Vietnamese language in the “Blue Light Yokohama” music video. (Photo: BETORAKU)
The Vietnamese-language version of the music video (MV) Blue Light Yokohama has been widely introduced, attracting great attention as Kanagawa Governor Kuroiwa Yuji performed the famous Japanese song in Vietnamese for the first time.
This is a music project carrying a special cultural diplomacy significance, jointly organised by Kanagawa prefecture, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Association of Vietnamese Traditional Culture and Arts in Japan (BETORAKU), and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology Alumni Association in Japan (BKS).
Blue Light Yokohama, a major hit in Japan during the 1960s and closely associated with the port city of Yokohama, was chosen as the foundation of the project with the aim of bringing Japanese J-pop music closer to Vietnamese audiences.
Governor Kuroiwa’s direct performance of the song in Vietnamese demonstrates efforts to promote cultural exchange and respect for the increasingly strong relationship between the two countries.
The MV was filmed at several iconic locations in Yokohama, including Minato Mirai 21, Nihon Boulevard, the rooftop of Kanagawa Prefectural Government’s Office, and Yamashita Park. The image of a modern, culturally rich city combined with music familiar to Japanese audiences creates a work that is not only artistic but also serves as a subtle and engaging promotion of Kanagawa to Vietnamese friends.
Over the years, Governor Kuroiwa Yuji has been known for his special affection for Vietnam. Since 2015, he has initiated and promoted the Vietnam Fiesta in Kanagawa - one of the largest Vietnam-Japan cultural exchange events in Japan, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually and becoming an important bridge between the communities of the two
