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A delegation of the China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA) headed by its president Song Jian visited Japan from September 4 to 9 at the invitation of the Japan-China Friendship Centre. While in Tokyo, CJFA President Song Jian met with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, President of the House of Councillors Satsuki Eda and Defence Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and attended the reception marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship and the meeting in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the completion of the Japan-China Friendship Centre. Song Jian and his party also made a friendly visit to Toyama Prefecture where they exchanged views on local government contact with Governor Takakazu Ishii and visited scientific research institutes and small and medium enterprises.

Meetings with Prime Minister Fukuda and Foreign Minister Komura

At his meeting with Song Jian, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship and is also the Japan-China Youth Friendly Exchange Year. He hoped that the rich and colourful exchanges held this year would further increase mutual understanding between the youth of the two countries, enhance their friendly sentiments towards each other, and push forward Japan-China relations.

Fukuda said, since he became the prime minister in September last year, he has met with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders on several occasions and reached a series of agreements on the all-round development of Japan-China strategic relationship of mutual benefit. Japan-China relations have witnessed marked progress. He told Song Jian that though he would soon leave the office of prime minister, he would continue his efforts to further bilateral relations.

Song Jian spoke highly of Prime Minister Fukudas important contributions to the deepening of the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit. He said, China is willing to work together with Japan to fully implement the series of agreements reached between the leaders of the two countries, further expand friendly exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and properly handle relevant problems so as to achieve the lofty goals of peaceful coexistence, lasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development.

During his meeting with the delegation, Foreign Minister Komura highly praised the contributions made by the CJFA to the development of Japan-China relations. He expressed Japans willingness to provide assistance for the reconstruction of the Sichuan earthquake-hit areas, congratulated China on the full success of the Beijing Olympic Games and wished the Beijing Paralympics success.

Attending Reception Marking 30th Anniversary of Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty

On September 8, a reception marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship was jointly held by the seven Japanese friendship-with-China organizations. Song Jian, president of the CJFA; Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to Japan; Yohei Kono, speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives; Satsuki Eda, president of the House of Councillors; Akihiro Ota, head of the New Komei Party; Kazuo Shii, chairman of the Japanese Communist Party; Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan; Nikai Toshihiro, minister of economy, trade and industry; Yoshimasa Hayashi, minister of defence, and Shintaro Ito, vice foreign minister, as well as heads of the seven Japan-China friendship organizations including Takeshi Noda, president of the Japan-China Society; Koichi Kato, president of the JCFA; Takashi Tsujii, president of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, and Yoshiro Hayashi, president of the Japan-China Friendship Centre, among over 700 people from the political, economic and cultural circles and the Chinese community in Japan, attended the reception.

Speaking on behalf of the seven Japanese friendship organizations, Takeshi Noda expressed solicitude for the people in the Sichuan earthquake areas and congratulations on the success of the Beijing Olympics. Noda said, over the past 30 years since the signing of the treaty, the two countries have made great strides in their relations through continuously deepening exchanges and cooperation in all fields. China has become a major player of the international community. The two-visits to Japan by President Hu Jintao this year and the signing of the Japan-China Joint Statement on All-round Promotion of Strategic Relationship of Mutual Benefit, the fourth important political document between the two countries, are of epoch-making significance. At present, the Japan-China relations are at a new stage of development. Nongovernmental organizations of the two countries wish to work for further advance of Japan-China relations. In the future, the people of our two countries should understand and respect each other and build a broad and solid social base for bilateral relations.

Addressing the reception, Song Jian said, over the past three decades since the signing of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty, with the concerted efforts by both sides, great headway has been made in the exchange and cooperation in various fields between our two countries. China-Japan relations are at a new historic starting point and have a firm foundation to grow to a higher level. In this new period, nongovernmental organizations of the two countries should carry forward the fine tradition of people-to-people contact and work with added efforts to further bilateral relations.

Vice Foreign Minister Shintaro Ito read out the message of congratulations from Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. The message says, despite some twists and turns, the relations between the two countries on the whole have developed smoothly over the past 30 years since the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed. Now, Japan-China relations are closely linked in economy, mutual visit, culture and various other fields. The development of bilateral relations has no end. Our two countries should further enhance exchanges and mutual understanding between our peoples so as to achieve greater growth of our relations. Fukuda stressed, Japan will not make any change of the general direction of keeping its emphasis on developing Japan-China relations. During my meeting with President Hu Jintao in May, the two sides clearly defined the general direction of Japan-China relations, that is, to work together to create an even brighter future for Asia and the world through implementing the strategic relationship of mutual benefit. This is in conformity with the fundamental interests of our two countries.

Yohei Kono and Satsuki Eda spoke respectively on behalf of the guests. They expressed appreciation of the great progress of Japan-China relations in the past 30 years and highly praised Chinas achievement since reform and opening up. They pledged, in the future the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors would continuously strengthen exchanges with various circles in China and contribute their efforts to the further development of bilateral relations. Yohei Kono specially emphasized, the fact that the Chinese character “和” (harmony) appeared repeatedly at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games shows Chinas desire to seek coordinated economic development, peaceful and harmonious coexistence among people all nationalities, and harmony and progress of the world. He hoped that by cherishing peace as the most precious thing, Japan and China would make greater contributions to the international community in the future.