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Shin-chan Appointed Japan's "Exchange Amigo" with Mexico

The latest Shin-chan movie, Eiga Crayon Shin-chan: Ora no Hikkoshi Monogatari ~Saboten Daishūgeki ("My Moving Story ~The Great Cactus Attack"), takes place in Mexico. The Nohara family moves from their longtime hometown of Kasukabe, a suburb of Tokyo, and moves to the fictional Mexican city of Madakueruyobaka. Shin-chan himself was seen off in a farewell ceremony on March 25 by Kasukabe's mayor, Ryōzō Ishikawa.

Shin-chan has now landed safely in Mexico and was appointed the "Japan-Mexico Exchange Amigo" by Akira Yamada, Japan's Ambassador to Mexico, at a ceremony at the Japanese Embassy on April 21, in recognition of his work in bringing the new nations closer together. "Japan and Mexico have a long friendship and history of over 400 years, and recently many businesses have been coming here from Japan," he said. Shin-chan's Spanish voice actress, Laura Torres, was present to speak on his behalf, thanking the ambassador and expressing his excitement at being in Mexico.

Shin-chan also visited the Liceo Mexicano Japonés, a school for Japanese immigrants in Álvaro Obregón, Mexico City, where he led a class in singing the popular Spanish song "Cielito Lindo" and joined them in their studies. Later, the school watched a special screening of Ora no Hikkoshi Monogatari. The students loved it. "I'm glad that I got to see a Shin-chan movie for the first time," one said. "I was really happy to see Mexico as the setting 'cause that's where we live," said another.

A future theatrical release in Mexico of the new Shin-chan movie has been announced.

[Via Anime! Anime! and Asahi Shimbun]