Cultivate Successors to Sino-Japanese Friendship in the 21st Century

Invited by Cel Corporation of Japan， the Sichuan Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries （SIFA） sent a delegation consisting of students and SIFA staff to Tokyo to take part in the 2013 Kizuna Koshien Baseball Exchange from August 2 to 5. The four students in the delegation came from Beichuan and Wenchuan counties， the worst-hit areas in the catastrophic earthquake that shook Sichuan Province on May 12， 2008， all losing either one or both parents.

This was the third time this event has been held. Since 2011， after the Great Eastern Japan earthquake on March 11， Cel Corporation began organizing such activities between the two countries. This time by inviting students from Sichuan earthquake-stricken area， it hoped to build a platform for Japan-China youth friendly exchange based on the idea of “for children， for the future and generation after generation”.

Its desire is to enhance mutual understanding between the youth in the quake-hit areas of both countries， and help them draw courage from each other through their similar experiences and build up their confidence to overcome difficulties so that they can grow up healthily and play their part in reconstruction of the disaster areas in the future.

This year’s event， with a four-leaf clover symbolizing ties and renewal as its logo， was funded by over 500 companies； all employees of Cel Corporation， some 200 in total， enthusiastically plunged into the organizational and coordination work， including transportation of players and equipment.

Eight teams from schools in the Japanese earthquake-affected area and four teams from schools in Tokyo， totaling more than 400 people， took part.

The Kizuna Koshien Organizing Committee gave a complete set of baseball equipment including a bat， batting helmet， a cap， mitt， sports outfit and shoes to each of the four Sich- uan students， and specially presented a set of gloves to the Beichuan Middle School Baseball Team. Having changed into their new outfit， the two players from Beichuan headed for the baseball diamond. The two students from Wenchuan who had never played baseball before， learned earnestly how to pitch with the help of a Japanese coach. Masayoshi Nishimoto， Cel’s Senior Managing Director， talked with the players from Beichuan， inquiring about their respective positions in the team and discussed playing skills with them. On learning that they would go to Suining City to take part in China’s National Youth Baseball Championship as soon as they returned home， he arranged for the coach of Japan’s championship team to give them some coaching tips.

The four Chinese students pitched together to start the event. Their synchronized pitching brought waves of cheers and greetings of “ni hao” from the Japanese students present. Then， Fukushima Baseball Team from the earthquake area presented baseballs to the Chinese players as souvenirs.

Masatsugu Jinno， Chairman of Cel Corporation， attended the evening get-together. He chatted cordially with the Sichuan students， had pictures taken with them and encouraged them to make contributions to the reconstruction and development of their hometown when they grew up.

A SIFA staff member speaking at the get-together introduced the friendly contacts between Sichuan and Japan. He expressed heartfelt thanks to the organizers and on behalf of SIFA extended an invitation to the youth of quakehit East Japan to visit Sichuan to see its new look and share experiences of their growth with young baseball players there.

Long Xin， a student from Wenchuan， presented to the Kizuna Koshien Organizing Committee his oil painting implying peace and friendship between the people of China and Japan， which brought the evening party to a climax.

Mr. Nishimoto said that， with the successful conclusion of the latest Kizuna Koshien Baseball Exchange， Cel Corporation was determined to hold this activity for 10 consecutive years. He expressed warm welcome for youth baseball teams from Sichuan to participate in future activities.

While in Japan， the delegation paid an official call to the Headquarters of Cel Corporation in Ginza， Tokyo. The 200-odd staff and workers led by Mr. Nishimoto gave the delegation a warm welcome. The four students talked about what they had seen and heard in Japan and impressions of their visit.

They were surprised to discover that those who had coached them in the baseball field were actually Cel staff. They were deeply impressed by the fact that Japanese people who had a strong sense of responsibility at work also pursued their hobbies untiringly in their spare time.

Several Japanese companies made great efforts to ensure the success of the delegation’s visit to Japan. Yuna Sato， General Manager of Cel China， had flown from Shanghai to Tokyo to accompany the delegation throughout its visit. He had to leave for Kyoto on business after the delegation’s call on the Cel Headquarters， but he insisted on escorting the students on their visits to the Imperial Palace and the National Diet， carrying his suitcase with him， and briefed the children on Japanese history and culture.

Fujita Kanko Inc.， a hotel sponsor， provided complete hospitality services. The general manager of the hotel in which the delegation stayed greeted the students on their arrival and saw them off on departure. He also presented them with gifts like kaleidoscopes and stationary.

In their four days in Japan， the members of the delegation， with baseball as the medium and through interaction with Japanese young people， demonstrated the good mental outlook of youth in the Sichuan quake area. They contributed their bit to consolidating the basis for lasting Sino-Japanese friendship and injected vitality into the friendly contacts between the Chinese and Japanese people that have lasted for over 2，000 years.