The Associazione Italo-Giapponese MusicArte International (AIG) was established by the Gran Maestro Makizo Nakagawa in 1966 in Kyoto. Maestro Nakagawa (1902-2008), conductor, singer, composer, professor and scholar, had a profound knowledge of music. He was the pioneer in establishing the very first artistic link between Japan and Italy inviting the most famous opera singers and instrumentalists to perform in Japan. His love for Italian “Bel Canto” made it possible to create the Concorso Lirica Italiana giving precious opportunities to young singers to study bel canto in Italy. Now, thanks to his daughter, Cunico Nakagawa, an accomplished international singer herself and a talented entrepreneur, the AIG has become a prestigious international music institution. Competitions, masterclasses, tours, cultural exchange programs, seminars and a great variety of cultural events are being currently scheduled till 2030. The AIG is passionately supporting a growing number of young Japanese artists offering them the opportunity to perform and tour Italy, the country where a long tradition of supreme artists shaped the world throughout history. We want to offer more and more chances to our musicians and for this we need the support of all music and art enthusiasts. It is art and artists who will ultimately change the world into a better place for all of us.