The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, in partnership with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association Islamabad, opened the painting exhibition Japan in Art at the National Art Gallery, PNCA on 25 March 2026. The exhibition brings together young Pakistani artists to explore and reinterpret Japanese social and cultural themes through contemporary practice.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by H.E. Mr. Akamatsu Shuichi, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Mr. Ayoub Jamali, Director General PNCA, and artist Mr. Jamal Shah, President of PJCA Islamabad. The event drew emerging artists, students and cultural figures from across the city to celebrate creative exchange between the two countries.
Japan in Art features around 40 paintings and prints by emerging Pakistani talents working in delicate brushwork, colored pencil studies and traditional woodblock printing techniques. The works offer fresh perspectives on everyday life, rituals and landscapes in Japan while reflecting the imaginative voice of Pakistan’s new generation of visual artists.
Director General Ayoub Jamali welcomed guests and underscored the value of cultural dialogue, noting that exhibitions like this deepen people-to-people ties. Ambassador Akamatsu praised the artists’ skill and creativity and described the exhibition as a living example of the enduring friendship between Japan and Pakistan rooted in cultural exchange.
At the opening, Ambassador Akamatsu presented the 2026 Ambassador’s Commendation to Mr. Jamal Shah in recognition of his long-standing contribution to Japan-Pakistan cultural relations. The Ambassador highlighted Mr. Shah’s leadership as Director of the Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2005 Aichi, his support for Embassy events including the Emperor’s Birthday Reception and the Japan Foundation’s traveling exhibition Yakishime, and his recent Remains of Ruins exhibition which addressed the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The exhibition is open to the public from 25 March to 6 April 2026 at the National Art Gallery, PNCA, Islamabad. Visitors are advised that gallery facilities will be closed Friday to Sunday during the run. Japan in Art offers an important opportunity for Pakistani audiences to engage with Japanese culture through the interpretive lens of local artists.
