The Japanese ambassador Kenjiro Monji donated 70 books, including Japanese language textbooks, to the Qatar Eastern Language Centre (QELC) yesterday. The book donation ceremony started with opening remarks by Dr Nasser Abdulghani Abdulghani, chairman of QELC, and managing director of Abdullah Abdulghani & Brothers Company.Expressing his gratitude to the ambassador for the book donation to the QELC, Dr Abdulghani expressed hopes for further co-operation between the embassy and the Centre. Ambassador Monji said that it is very timely that the donation takes place this year, the 40th anniversary year of Japan-Qatar diplomatic relations.“The Embassy of Japan has been enjoying good co-operative relations with QELC through organising many activities including a Japanese speech contest. The envoy pointed out that from the beginning of the year, the Embassy of Japan and the Qatari side have organised many cultural events under the project ‘Qatar-Japan 2012’.”“Qatar residents will be able to enjoy Japan and its culture¸ as many more events are to follow.They include the final screening of monthly Japanese Cinema Showcase at the end of September, Japanese musical instruments performance and Japanese Popular Theatre performance in October, and Japanese Films at Doha Tribeca Film Festival in November.”As a guest of honour in the Doha International Book Fair in December, the embassy will bring to Qatar a wide variety of Japanese culture both traditional and contemporary including Pop culture such as Manga, Anime, Fashion and Music. The QELC provides Japanese language courses for anyone above the age of 14. Currently the QELC has 51 students and two professional Japanese teachers including the director of the Centre, Kentaro Azuma, a former teacher at the Language Teaching Institute of the Supreme Education Council which was closed in September 2010. Students’ registration is open at the QELC for the new semester. The Centre is planning to set up Chinese and Korean language courses as well in the future.