Ambassador Hayashi and guests at the opening ceremony

On 9 December 2011, in the sunny Welsh city of Swansea, Maggie¡Çs Cancer Caring Centres held an opening ceremony for its South West Wales centre. With its base in the UK, Maggie¡Çs centres manage hospices which offer evidence-based psychological, emotional and informational support for cancer patients and their families. Maggie's South West Wales is the 10th centre to be opened.

There is a deep connection between Japan, the Maggie¡Çs Cancer Caring Centres and the South West Wales centre. The founder of the organisation, Maggie Keswick Jencks, was a close friend of His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, and the opening of the new centre has his particular backing.

The beautiful Maggie's South West Wales was designed by the late Kisho Kurokawa, a world-famous Japanese architect and good friend of Charles Jencks, one of the founding members of the Maggie¡Çs centres.

Ambassador Keiichi Hayashi was present at the opening ceremony, which was also attended by Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales; Mikio and Kako Kurokawa, children of the late architect; Swansea-born Welsh footballer (a cancer patient himself) John Harton; Ioan Richard, The Lord Mayor of the City & County of Swansea Councilor; Charles Jencks and numerous other guests.

In the speeches, guests spoke of the importance of emotional care and support of cancer patients as well as the expectations for the centre, and reflected on the ideas and thoughts of its architect, the late Mr Kurokawa.

Ambassador Hayashi offered his congratulations on the opening of Maggie's South West Wales and concerning the introduction of the link between Maggie¡Çs Centres and Japan, he declared in the language of flowers that ¡Èfortune would surely come¡É from the connection. He then presented the centre with seven decorative ornamental plates featuring a design of irises.

After the opening ceremony, a cake in the shape of the centre was cut by the Chairperson of the Maggie¡Çs campaign board in Swansea, Dr Pat Steane; members of the family of Mr Kurokawa, and Ambassador Hayashi, and all participants offered their congratulations on the opening of the new centre.

Cutting of the cake