International cooperation and PR activities

Cooperation with Thailand’s Design Excellence Award

We have signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Commerce of the Kingdom of Thailand to establish a collaborative system between the Good Design Awards and the Design Excellence Award, held in conjunction with the Prime Minister’s Export Award of Thailand.

This has enabled cooperation in screening stages as well as exhibition exchanges. In 2008, the winner of the Design Excellence Award was displayed at the Good Design Expo. In spring of 2009 the Good Design Awards exhibitions were held in Bangkok at two major trade fairs sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, as well as exhibition held at the Thailand Creative & Design Center, the main design center of the city. This cooperation between the two design awards was established to stimulate cultural and economic exchange through design and, at the same time, to promote the development of the philosophy of Asian design.

Exhibition in Milan

Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization opens an exhibition concurrently with the Milano Salone in order to appeal to international design journalists.

This year, Japan Design Selection 2009 is scheduled to take place from April 21st to 27th at La Triennale di Milano in cooperation with designers and Japanese leading design companies. 2009 marks the third Milan exhibit, and the event is supported by many journalists, designers and the general public as an exhibit that presents Japanese design. International media coverage is also on the rise.

Exhibitions and PR in Asian countries

Between 2003 and 2005 we coordinated our efforts in conjunction with the activities of the ASEAN-Japan Center to hold ASEAN Selection, which provides judging for the Good Design Awards in each participating country. Based on the results of the above, we have developed PR activities which target companies, designers and media in Asian countries, and introduce Japanese design and corporate activities which use design.

In 2008 we participated in Hong Kong Business of Design Week, and in 2009 we will promote Japanese design through various occasions including the above mentioned exhibitions in Bangkok and at the opening exhibit at the Japan Creative Center in Singapore this November.