Session Titled “Japan Urdu Ki Zarkheiz Zameen” Held At ACP

Muhammad Irfan Published December 07, 2024 | 09:10 PM

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Dec, 2024) On the third day of the 17th Aalmi urdu Conference Jashan e Karachi organized by the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) Karachi, a session titled “Japan Urdu ki Zarkheiz Zameen” was held.

The event was moderated by Khurram Sohail, with the distinguished Japanese professor, scholar and linguist Ken Saku Mamiya as the chief guest.

During the session, Professor Ken Saku shared his journey of coming to Pakistan as a student four decades ago and deciding to stay. He completed his M Phil at Sindh University and expressed his deep affection for both Sindh and Karachi, which he holds close to his heart.

He mentioned that he is never afraid of Karachi's conditions and always encourages his students to visit Pakistan and Karachi.Professor Ken highlighted the similarities between the Urdu and Japanese languages, emphasizing that both prioritize teaching grammar.

He noted that Japanese students are interested in learning Urdu, although writing and reading Urdu in the Japanese script is a challenge, which he has made his focus. He also shared that he is fond of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's qawwali music and enjoys Nargisi Kofta and Hyderabadi Rabri as his favorite dishes.

Expressing concern over the younger Japanese generation's growing distance from literature, he shared that several Urdu novels have been translated into Japanese to encourage the youth to read them. Furthermore, Professor Ken revealed that he strives to bridge the gap between Pakistan and Japan by showcasing Pakistani films and theater in Japan.