I was looking at Tsuginomiya and his family in the corner of the hall on November 17, 1992 with drinking sherry at Touguu Imperial Palace in Akasaka,Tokyo.
Some 200 members of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers , J.O.C.V. who tried to leave in each country gathered in and talked with Mr. Akihito Tsuginomiya and Mrs. Michiko and their son , Naruhito Hironomiya happily.
That year, I took 24 hours training such as Swahili from early September at the J.O.C.V. training center of Hiroo,Tokyo after resigning my work and subleasing my house to my friend.
There was an explanation about the "Emperor's audience" from Mr. H of J.O.C.V. training center affairs head officer when my long training of two months and a half was almost finished and my feeling swelled toward Tanzania.
Because I did not want to meet Tsuginomiya , I asked my friend and had the telephone that my father became a sudden illness taken on the day before the "Emperor's audience". But, Mr. H said "Please consult me about such a person who by all means cannot go " Emperor's audience" "
Because I received his words straight and consulted Mr. H , Threat, conciliation and tearful entreaty followed me for three days from the day.
Mr. H's threat---
The person like you who cannot respect Japanese sovereign and a national
flag surely causes troubles because he dose not respect the sovereign of
the country which he is sent to and the national flag , either. So that
you are disqualification as J.O.C.V. member.
*Although now Emperor is not Japanese sovereign after WW 2.
And he told me by implication he could make me not being sent to Tanzania.
Surely because in this grade if he and J.O.C.V. advisory doctor decide I
have a problem from the viewpoint of strength, not of my denying "
Emperor's audience", I cannot be sent to Tanzania as J.O.C.V. member.
The next day, conciliation was done by one of alumnus called the "leaders"
who cared 20 men of our group this two months and a half .
He said, As for the Emperor regime, I agree about your opinion, too. Because
it is not before WW 2 now. But, do you want to do work in Tanzania because
you have done your best until now, too?
I think your working in Tanzania is most important thing now.
For the third day, the head of the training center directly obtained
my consent by force of tears on the day before " Emperor's audience".
He said , Now you can already understand that If you don't attend it, we
are troublesome to you as well who is troublesome, too. You had better attend
it because it is such a thing.
When Mr. H threatened me, my associate in training center who was a young boss of left wing trade union at municipal office laughed and said , You are stupid enough because of consulting Mr. H squarely. That is decided as the trap of J.O.C.V. training center office.
And I consulted the secretary of the Social Democratic Party member of
the Diet with the telephone whom I knew at conference of Art against AIDS.
But he only said , You are very difficult. Do your best!
And please tell your precious experience in Tanzania to me if coming back.
In the farewell party of our departure after several days, Mr. H whispered me. It is good that you were allowed to be able to go to Tanzania. My acquaintance is in J.O.C.V. Tanzania office. I asked him to have your activities watched.
In July,1994 an objection was made in the final project document of the art exhibition which I submitted the other day from cultural Ministry of Zanzibar government.--- Zanzibar's twin islands joined Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. But Zanzibar is given to semi-autonomous rights, and have individual government agencies.
This was group exhibition of my four pupil's of Nyumba ya Sanaa art school, Zanzibar. It would be done in Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam in Aug. 1994. I advanced its preparation before a half year. Their objection was why did we try to pay the cost which an exhibition costs such as the exhibition place fee, public information fee, party fee of the reception and voyaging fee to Dar es Salaam ,food expenses, staying fee of four poor young artists in the sales of their art work? and neither I nor they, four artists had that right.
So, here is a socialism country. Four artists, my pupils who would become the teachers of the art school from the next year had already been officials of Zanzibar government. The works which they made at the school are under the governmental control. In short, we who arranged the exhibition should pay all the expenses and pay all the sales of it to the government! And they insisted that Ministry of clture also didn't pay the voyaging fees,etc. of four artists who were nevertheless officials.
I submitted many documents and negotiated with Ministry for half month.
At last Ministry agreed our paying 40% of the sales to the government.
I was again called from cultural Ministry one week before of the exhibition.
The officer said , You should make Japanese ambassador to Tanzania attend
your reception, because we decided that our Minister attend it. We were
very happy that prominent figure of Ministry of culure that wasn't cooperative
for the exhibition until now attends. But what did I do? because their requirement
was too sudden. First of all I called Tanzanian office of J.O.C.V.. But,
a J.O.C.V. officer said that he couldn't understand ambassador's attendance
to the reception since just its day because of their sudden requirement
though he tried to make contact with the embassy.
So I persistently explained to Ministry of culture that this exhibition is only private not official. And I asked won't Minister of culture attend it in his personal capacity? because Japanese ambassador to Tanzania may come also in his personal capacity.
The J.O.C.V. member who worked in National TV Zanzibar and was the former young boss of left wing trade union in Japan came with two staffs of Zanzibari covering the exhibition in the morning of the reception. He said J.O.C.V. bears two staffs' voyaging fee and hotel expenses. Nevertheless, the covering wasn't done at all to four artists doing preparation for the exhibition. And he only appreciated me for our exhibition holding. When they carried the material, he said that they returned in the evening before the reception, and went out to the city.
Minister and seven officials attended the reception from Zanzibar Ministry of culture. I think they drunk beers and ate light meals more than anyone else. And Japanese ambassador to Tanzania couldn't attend it but some secretaries of embassy and officials of J.O.C.V attended it in their personal capacity.
When I thought that four artists' self-introduction was intended to be done soon, Minister advanced before us suddenly and came out. At the same time the lighting of the television was put on him, and the TV camera followed it. He took out papers slowly from his pocket, and began his speech. Because four artists made fear far to him as men in very high places, they were daunted. TV Zanzibar only kept taking pictures of Minister after his speech as well. After all they went back without covering of not only four artists but also activities of J.O.C.V. at all. TV Zanzibar left many people impressions that leading part of the reception was Minister.
The day, Minister purchased art work of the wood-cut printing of 2X2m in size and 300USD in cost. But, though we requested his payment of it by the document to Ministry of culture,they recognized the fact of his purchase, they only said that we might wait for his payment. But we listened to the rumor that he only reserved it not to make others buy and wasn't interested to buy it. Of course, we have already paid 40% of the sales to Ministry of culture except for the work which he said he bought.
And, the Ministry and seven officials who attended the reception stayed at the high-class hotel of Dar es Salaam and of course were getting traveling allowance,too. As for the total amount which they spent, I think, it was the amount made our exhibition twice at least.
As for the exhibition, it didn't became a deficit happily. Because the commercial broadcasting television station established in Dar es Salaam newly and newspapers introduced it and four artists favorably, Many people came and bought many small-sized pieces. And Tanzanian office of J.O.C.V. bought another large work.
In March 1996, Mr.Hashim Abdi who sent his works the exhibition won 2nd prize in Sapporo International Prints Biennial 1996, Japan.
I'd like to write about his and our troubles.
But, I can't write this story continuously after here in English.