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JICA Streams Hindi PSA Video Featuring Kumamon Mascot

The Japan Internation Cooperation Agency began streaming a video on Wednesday featuring Kumamoto Prefecture's Kumamon mascot for its 'Achhi Aadat' Campaign. The video is targeted at young Indian audiences and promotes healthy hygiene practices.

The Kumamon mascot interacted with His Excellency Sanjay Kumar Verma, the Ambassador of India to Japan, at the video disclosing ceremony at the Embassy of India in Tokyo on Friday. Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture Ikuo Kabashima and Senior Vice President of JICA Keiichiro Nakazawa also attended the event.

JICA describes Kumamon's involvement in public service initiatives:

Kumamon is the official character of the government of Kumamoto Prefecture, which is located in the western part of Japan. Kumamon was originally produced to increase visibility of Kumamoto Prefecture, but thanks to his unique looks and behavior, he has gradually become popular in Japan and its neighboring countries including China, South Korea, Thailand and so on. Since the pandemic of COVID-19 started, Kumamon has conveyed the importance of handwashing to children in Japan. Based on his wide influence, JICA and the government of Kumamoto Prefecture have determined to produce the video where Kumamon tells his messages to people in India, contributing to improvement of hygiene practices and better relations between both countries.

Kumamon is inspiring an anime titled Mystery of Kumamon.

JICA recently translated and produced the Hindi versions of the new "COVID-19 vaccine" chapter from Akane Shimizu's Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibō) manga in a motion comic format (with added sound effects).

Source: Press release