October 28th, 2015 – A similar surface, a comparable population, common economic interests, and the willingness to cooperate in the same sectors, starting with sports and tourism. This is the recipe for success cooked up by Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Shizuoka prefecture (south of Tokyo, one of the Japanese territories with the highest living standard) to experiment on new forms of bilateral cooperation. This was recognized in a “letter of intent” signed by Regional President Debora Serracchiani and Governor Heita Kawakatsu for a partnership that starts with cycling and the lure of the two “sacred” peaks of Zoncolan and Mount Fuji, to branch out into other sports and tourism. The exchange starts with “events aimed at recreational cyclists,” reads the document, with a clear reference to the Fuji-Zoncolan cross-country skiing, which will take place in Friuli Venezia Giulia one year, and the following year in Shizuoka. The idea is to build a collaboration in the fields of sport and tourism, and later in other areas, as it emerged from the meeting among Serracchiani and Vice President and Regional Minister for Productive Activities Sergio Bolzonello with Kawakatsu and his staff. (Red)
