Yokohama has been holding a variety of events this year as one of the host cities in the yearlong “Culture City of East Asia 2014” project.

The idea of enhancing cultural exchanges among Japan, China and South Korea was agreed on at the ministerial level in 2011. In September 2013, prior to launching the project, the culture ministers of the three neighbors met in the South Korean city of Gwangji and designated one East Asia City of Culture in each country. The cities are Yokohama, a historic port city known for its international exchanges and atmosphere; Quanzhou, an ancient trading port in China’s southern Fujian province; and the South Korean city of Gwangju, known for hosting the prestigious Gwangju Biennale contemporary art festival since 1995.

This year, the three cities have been serving as the principal venues for a series of cultural and art exchange programs to enhance mutual understanding and encourage a sense of unity within the three neighbors, whose ties have been increasingly strained over severe territorial disputes and conflicting interpretations of historical issues.