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1'st Greetings

Name : Webmaster	Date : 2011.12.26  Hit : 199
Honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen! It is my untold pleasure and honor to welcome you, the players and officials from 5 continents and 6 oceans, who gather here to take part in The 1st Sport Fishing World Champion Cup. While I was touring around the world number of times, I was given the opportunity to meet the leading anglers from many countries, and with them have shared the opinions. In so doing, I came to a conclusion that the fishing world cup is the common dream and hope for all fishing-loving persons. Since then, I started the preparation, through years, to substantialize this dream, in collaboration with the leaders of fishing community. If I am to brief on that prehistory, the Korea Fishing Federation held the National Fishing Championship Tournament from 1999 through 2001, during which the players were selected to represent the nation of Korea. This resulted in the success in hosting the Asia Sea Fishing Championship Tournament in 2000, where the anglers of 8 nations in Asia gathered to compete. At the same time, Asia Sport Fishing Federation was established, and a resolution was made that the Fishing World Cup be held in the possible near future. With such a step-by-step preparation, today, we came to hold this global fishing tournament, the celebration for the anglers of the world. Those who gather here have a background of varying language, culture and fishing custom with each other. However, let us yield to one another to create a wonderful celebration of great harmony. I firmly believe that this event serve as a foundation toward the world peace and unity, and remain as a shining cornerstone in the history of sport fishing. I express my most sincere gratitude to the players and the members of board who greatly contributed to make this tournament a reality. May the blessing be abound in your home and your mother country. October 17, 2001 The 1st Sport Fishing World Champion Cup Chairman Tae Geun Yoon In the present days, we are faced with a global challenge of extreme extent, when it comes to the preservation of natural environment surrounding the human being or the protection of the life cycle for the entire oceanic life including fishes. It is for this very reason that we decided to host The 1st Sport Fishing World Champion Cup, in our hope to make as much contribution as possible, from our position to represent all the fishing-loving people of the world, toward the reservation of natural environment, promotion of the international friendship and goodwill among nations, and also the solution to the various problems, such as: 1. the contamination and destruction of natural environment 2. the pollutions 3. the food supply ,hanger, and population increase 4. the destruction of families and moral decadence of youth among many other problems. What does it mean for the fishing-loving people of the world to play a subjective role from their unique positions, in the face of those challenging problems? It is our common experience that. through the fishing, we discover the wonder, mysteriousness, gentleness and strictness of the natural world; marvelous adoptability of the fishes against the whether and environmental changes; life style of the fishes as the astronomical and aerological expert. This experience can ease the stress of the contemporary men living a city life and to give them a new vitality. The spirit of the sport fishing will greatly help cultivate the heart of concern for the natural environment and the protection of oceanic life and natural resources. My belief is that the shortcut for the caring of natural environment, the preservation of oceanic life and resources, and the solution to the food problems will be the culture fishery on the global scale. Secondly, by extending fishing loving movement down to the families, we may be able to create a new wave among young generations. Not only that, the spirit of sport fishing can transcend the walls of race, religion, language, tradition, and habit which so often became the sauce of regional conflicts, and play an aggressive role to promote reconciliation and mutual exchange, and further to enhance the sense of world peace, global village and one family world. Further, the sport fishing helps dissolve ever increasing stresses, and as a hobby industry with a living philosophy of new age which pursue both enjoyment and educational aspect, it can be an alternative to the conventional leisure business which tends to value mere profit. Compared with other sports, it can achieve a broader popularity beyond ages and sexes. Through the sport fishing during which we have a dialogue with nature and fishes, we are given the opportunity to live an epitome of life with the spiritual discipline, reflection and meditation, patience and tolerance, and even the adventure and determination, The fishing is a powerful ground of discipline for man to deepen the interest and understanding of the nature as well as to enhance the skills. I ardently hope that the sport fishing may serve as an incentive to achieve a breakthrough with potential stagnation of fishing industry, and become a driving force for a recovery and further development of the oceanic industry as a whole. As we are about to start this tournament, I would like to express my gratitude to the chairman of Asia Sport Fishing Federation, Mr. Tae Guen Yoon, and every member of Korea Fishing Federation. Lastly, I offer my deepest appreciation to the dignitaries and officials of numerous fields for a great support, directors of fishing gear makers for solid contributions, and most of all, the town mayor of Tabira-cho, and all the members of municipal office for a wonderful cooperation. May you enjoy the event and this tournament be a great success. Co-chairman International Friendship Angler’s Association President Hideo Oyamada I wish to congratulate you, from the bottom of my heart, on this occasion of The 1st Sport Fishing World Champion Cup! From the ancient age when the fishing was an important means to maintain livelihood, the fishing has been the common activity of mankind wherever there were seas, rivers and lakes. In the present days, the interest in the fishing and the heart to cherish the natural world seem to reflect the human bone desire to return to the nature and to live in the harmony with it. This is a good reason that the heart of anglers is the ideal bridge for the international friendship that must transcend the oceans and every boundary which separates men. Japan is the country that can offer the most ideal fishing spot with her beauty of rivers and lakes, and literally, the entire coastal line of surrounding oceans can be the angling water. Today’s Champion Cup tournament is the first of this international scale ever to be held, and Japan is honored to be its host country. I believe that this event may not only help uplift the fishing technique but serve as a force to drive forward the preservation of natural environment, and become the bridge for the global friendship and goodwill. It must be beautiful and inspiring to behold that those who came from four corners of the world, representing all the fishing-loving populations, would compete at one global ocean in the spirit of mutual applaud, by mobilizing the maximum skills and senses accumulated through the years of fishing currier. I wish that, through this occasion, the circle of you anglers expand to the rest of the world and play a role of bridge for the international friendship and goodwill. Honorable Chairman Member of the House of Representatives Koji Kakizawa