Japan has long had a love affair with jazz. From the first jazz bands arriving on ocean liners in the port cities of Kobe and Yokohama in the 1920s to the current 100-plus nightly live jazz venues in the Tokyo area, Japan arguably has embraced jazz more fervently than any other country outside its birthplace, America.
So, it is no surprise that this year's International Jazz Day will be held in Osaka for the first time ever in Japan.
Japan should be proud to host this year's jazz day. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government would do better to promote Japan's cultural affinities, such as jazz, rather than play up the nation's military might. Jazz Day just might be a good opportunity to take that first step.