Japanese Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Shigekazu Sato will be the special guest at the Toowoomba Japanese Group’s fundraising dinner at Veraison Restaurant tonight. Acting Consul-General of Japan in Queensland, Ryosaku Tamura, will also be attending the dinner.

Mr Sato will be delivering a speech tonight, as will the Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council Peter Taylor and Federal MP for Groom Ian MacFarlane.

The Toowoomba Japanese Group will present 1000 cranes each to Mr Sato and also to Mr Tamura, as a token of the city’s friendship and sorrow at the recent tragic events that have embattled Japan.

More than 3000 cranes have been made by individuals, community groups and schools across the region, all of whom will be acknowledged tonight. Hundreds of schoolchildren around Toowoomba and even as far as Dalby, Yarraman and Kingaroy have written heartfelt messages on the cranes they have made.

Tonight’s menu will feature four stunning Japanese-European degustation courses, including duck consommé with Asian mushrooms, bluefin tuna with tofu, Kobe wagyu beef and a green tea sorbet with berries – all specially created for the evening by leading Veraison chef Ben Bergman.

Also on the program will be a Japanese quiz show, demonstrations of Japanese martial arts and calligraphy and a fashion parade.

It is hoped tonight’s dinner will raise over $2000 for the Japanese Red Cross, to go towards those affected by the terrible earthquake and tsunami events that ravaged Japan in March.

Weis Restaurant has kindly donated a $50 gift voucher which will be raffled off tonight.

The Toowoomba Japan Club is an informal group of those wishing to learn or practise Japanese language and discover Japanese culture. For more information visit https://sites.google.com/site/toowoombajapanesegroup

Contact Info: Jeff Brady – 0458 395 924
Simone Mooketsi – 0458 594 535