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Executive Committee Prospectus for the Tokyo Poetry Festival 2008 (TPF2008) February 25, 2008

1.Name The full name of this meeting is the Executive Committee Meeting for the Tokyo Poetry Festival 2008, or the Executive Committee Meeting for TPF2008, for short. 2.Prospectus This meeting is being organized to help sponsor the Tokyo Poetry Festival 2008 (below, TPF2008), an international poetry festival to be held in Tokyo in 2008. TPF2008 will enable participants to submit three genres of poetry-namely, Japanese free form poems, tanka, and haiku. We will also be inviting poets from abroad and give them a chance to create new inspiration in Japanese and overseas poetry. 1)Background and Purpose of the Meeting Poetry has a long history in Japan. It is an art form with different genres, including free form poems, tanka, haiku, and Chinese-style poems. Japanese poetry continues to breathe in our lives today. The fact that poets abroad have come to learn of this rich poetic tradition is a major force in bringing Japanese culture to the rest of the world. At the same time, coming into contact with poets at the forefront of the world and feeling their spirit up close has brought a new and definite inspiration to the poets of Japan. Up to now, the international exchange of poets has amounted to no more than a limited number of people being called to participate in international poetry festivals. However, thanks to the Euro-Japan Poetry Festival in Tokyo held in December 2005, the significance of participating in a poetry festival in Japan became clearer. Following on the heels of these positive developments, we hope to see similar events in various regions inside and outside of Europe, starting with other parts of Asia. We will hold the Tokyo Poetry Festival 2008 in the interest of heightening the footprint of Japanese poetry in the world. Tokyo's location was selected because of its importance as a major metropolis. 2)Activities o Decide on the date and time the festival is to be held (Meiji University, Tokyo; 31 October--2 November 2008) o Secure personnel needed to hold the event, and organize and manage them. o Procure funds needed to hold the event. o Secure a venue for the event. o Undertake advertising activities. o Collect the results. 3.Bearing of Membership Fees and Operating Costs For the most part, activities will be performed on a volunteer basis. Necessary cost outlays will be covered by donations and entrance fees collected on the day of the event. 4.Organization 1)Director: Ban'ya Natsuishi (actual name Masayuki Inui, professor at Meiji University, Director of the World Haiku Association) 2)Officers of the Executive Committee: Chuei Yagi, Yasuki Fukushima, Hikari Kumoi (Treasurer), Nanamo Oki, Takako Arai, B. Bold (Rikido Tomikawa), Bin Akio, Takeshi Shono. 3)Collaboration and Support: EU-Japan Fest Japan Committee, and others 4)Secretariat: Haiku Library Meigen Bunko (Representative: Bin Akio) 94-5 Miyazaki, Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 5)Promoters: Ban'ya Natsuishi, Chuei Yagi, Yasuki Fukushima, Bin Akio