Olympic theme highlighted at 2020 'Meet in Beijing' int'l arts festival

Japan, host of the 2020 Summer Olympics, is the featured country for this year's Meet in Beijing. A wide array of Japanese shows as well as food festivals will be held across the Chinese capital, including shamisen musician Hiromitsu Agatsuma's crossover concert on Jan 18, jazz pianist Makoto Ozone's jazz concert on Jan 19 and all-female musical theater troupe Takarazuka Revue's The Light of Sword and Love - The Women Who Loved Napoleon from Jan 10 to 12.

In addition to Japanese arts, other foreign highlights include French pianist Richard Clayderman's New Year concert on Jan 18, Spanish dancer and choreographer Maria Pages' An Ode to Time from Jan 1 to 3 and Joyful Siberia by Russia's State Academic Dance Company of Siberia from Jan 6 to 8.