At the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), a Japanese university student delegation consisting of 101 members, organized by the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, visited Beijing, Hunan, and Shanghai from September 24, 2025 to September 30, 2025. During the visit, the delegation engaged in exchanges with young people in both Beijing and Hunan.
On September 25, 2025, the CPAFFC hosted a welcome dinner for the delegation in Beijing. In his remarks, Vice President Yuan Mindao highlighted that China-Japan relations are currently at a crucial point of development. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, presenting a significant opportunity to confront history and pave the way for a brighter future. He expressed his hope that Japanese youth would deepen their understanding of China's history, culture, and technological advancements during the visit and form friendships with their Chinese peers through direct interactions, strengthening mutual ties and working together to build a prosperous future for China-Japan relations.
Makoto Osawa, head of the delegation and Executive Committee Member of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, thanked the Chinese side for inviting the Japanese youth to visit China. He emphasized that, in today's world, the major challenges concerning the future prosperity and survival of humanity cannot be addressed by any single country alone, making international cooperation more important than ever. China-Japan relations are central to East Asian cooperation and stressed the importance of fostering in-depth exchanges between the youth of two countries, who will shoulder the future of China-Japan relations, enhancing mutual understanding, and deepening friendships.
During their visit, the delegation toured several universities, enterprises, cultural sites, and rural revitalization demonstration villages, including Beijing Sport University, Hunan University, Yuelu Academy, Broad Group, Malanshan Video and Cultural Creative Industry Park, Yuhua Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, Orange Isle, Chenzhou Museum, Chenzhou Layan Ancient Village, and Wayaoping Village. They learned about China's rich history and current economic and social development, experienced traditional Chinese culture, including intangible cultural heritage, and engaged in meaningful exchanges with Chinese youth.
The Japanese youth remarked that, upon arriving in China, they realized their perceptions of China had previously been limited and one-sided. They were warmly impressed by the friendliness of the Chinese people and enjoyed their interactions with Chinese friends. The delegation emphasized the importance of actively learning about the shared history between Japan and China and expressed their hopes for more exchange activities between the youth of the two countries, working together to create a bright future.
