About JCD

 
A story how JCD was started
 
In 2013, the City of Detroit declared bankruptcy. Its assets included the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). To release the artwork from being sold to repay the city’s debt and reopen its doors, the DIA would have to become a private organization. As part of the negotiations mediated by the District Federal Court, the DIA would have to fund $100M.
 
The JBSD (Japan Business Society of Detroit) immediately and proactively responded to the DIA with donations that reached $3.2M from its corporate and individual members from the Japanese community.
 
The JBSD was the only community group in the Detroit area that aided in saving the DIA. Since then, the JBSD became known as one of the proactive community service organizations in the Detroit area.
 
At the end of 2016, the Japan Cultural Development (JCD) a volunteer group lead by Takashi Omitsu, was founded. Its mission is to help the recovery of the Detroit and the metropolitan area through Japanese traditional and modern culture.
 
JCD became partners with the DIA and began organizing Japanese cultural events.

Past Events in DIA by JCD (Planned and Implemented)

Hina-Matsuri 2017 in March 2017
Japan Cultural Days featured Japan Gallery Opening in November 2017
Hina-Matsuri 2018 in March 2018
Symposium of “Interconnections Through Arts and Culture: American Museums and US-Japan Relationships” welcoming Her Imperial Princess Akiko of Mikasa of Japan as a special lecturer in June 2018
Curation event with Historical Friendship Doll between the US and Japan in June 2018