Commemorating the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe to India, a Japanese Film Festival was arranged jointly by the Embassy of Japan, The Japan Foundation, and India International Centre. The package of films consists of classics to contemporary animation. To represent the Japan India Friendship Year, the package also included the 1960s popular Hindi film “LOVE IN TOKYO” specially borrowed from National Film Archives of India.

The festival was inaugurated by H.E. Mrs. Akie Abe, Wife of the Prime Minister of Japan along with Prof. M.G.K. Menon, President, India International Centre, Mr. Joji Hisaeda, Administrative Vice President, the Japan Foundation and Mrs. Yasukuni Enoki, Wife of the Japanese Ambassador to India.

The following films were screened at the India International Centre: DORAEMON AND THE LITTLE DINOSAUR (AyumuWatanabe), HULA GIRLS (Lee Sang-il), ALWAYS – THE SUNSET ON THIRD STREET (Takashi Yamazaki), LOVE IN TOKYO (Pramod Chakravarty) and TOKYO STORY (Yasujiro Ozu). It was the first time that a film version of "Doraemon" animation was shown abroad.

As part of JAPAN INDIA FRIENDSHIP YEAR, Japanese Film Festivals are being organized in Delhi and other cities, namely, Manipur, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata. A series of Japanese Film Festivals in India and Indian Film Festivals in Japan will also be arranged in 2008 based on the Joint Statement by the Prime Ministers of Japan and India in August 2007.