秋葉原動漫文化中心閂門

Recently the NHK News reported the following;
５年間にわたり、日本のアニメーション文化の発信拠点となってきた東京・秋葉原の「東京アニメセンター」が、閉館することになり、活躍したキャラクターなどに感謝の賞が贈られました。
東京アニメセンターは、アニメ制作会社でつくる団体が、日本のアニメの魅力を紹介する拠点として、平成１８年にＪＲ秋葉原駅前の再開発ビルに設けました。これまでに海外からの観光客１０万人などあわせて１２８万人が訪れましたが、一定の役割を果たしたとして、いったん閉館することになりました。１０日の閉館イベントにはアニメファンらおよそ１００人が集まり、鳥取県の観光大使を務める「ゲゲゲの鬼太郎」の着ぐるみや、秋葉原を訪れる海外の人たちにメイド姿で観光案内をしているＮＰＯのグループ、それに数々のアニメで声優を務める羽多野渉さんらに感謝のトロフィーが贈られました。５０回近く訪れたという千葉県の２０歳の男性は「声優さんを身近に感じられ、多くの友人とも知り合える場所だっただけに、閉館は残念です。規模を大きくして復活してほしいです」と話していました。東京アニメセンターにあった設備は、日本動画協会に移され、動画協会では、リニューアルしたうえで、再開することを検討しているということです。
After the passage of five years the "Tokyo Animated Cartoon Center" at Akihabara of Tokyo that had been the disseminating center of Japnanese animation culture would be closed, and the prize of thanks was awarded to active characters etc.
The Center was made up of a group of animated cartoon production companies that in 2006 set up the Tokyo animated cartoon center in a redevelopment building located in front of the JR Akihabara Station, and used it as a base to introduce the charm of animated cartoons of Japan. Upon closing, it would be noted that it had performed a definite role, 1.28 million people had visited it, including 100,000 tourists from foreign countries. On the 10th, about 100 animated cartoon fans gathered for the closing event of the center, and trophy of thanks were presented to sightseeing ambassador in Tottori Prefecture that had dressed up in "Gegego no Kitaro" cartoon costume, and to the NPO group that dressed up as housemaid and worked as sightseeing guides for overseas people who visited Akihabara, and to Mr. Haneda who had served as the radio actor in a lot of animated cartoons. A 20-year-old man from Chiba Prefecture who had visited almost 50 times said ｢Because it was a place where the radio actor can be felt close-by, and a place that could get acquainted with a lot of friends, the closing of the center is regrettable. I wish it could be revived and in a bigger size｣. Equipment at the Tokyo animated cartoon center would be moved to the Japanese Animation Society, and they would examine whether to restart again after renewing the equipment.

Animated cartoon industry is important to Japan in many respects. I hope a new animated carton center could be open in the future.