Cultural festival stresses Sino-Japanese relations(2)

Voicing hope

"I strongly hope that the exchange between the people of both countries will deepen and that mutual interest and understanding will grow even further," he said.

At this year's China Festival, 147 Chinese companies participated, nearly three times the number from last year, according to Wang Jiaxun, president of China Enterprises Association in Japan. "Currently, relations between China and Japan are not particularly ideal. Many Japanese citizens hold certain prejudices against China and Chinese people, while Chinese citizens also have some misunderstandings about Japan. These issues arise in part due to distorted media coverage. Events like the China Festival help foster mutual trust and understanding, promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries," said Wang.

People from Chinese provinces such as Shandong and Hunan also attended the China Festival 2024 to highlight regional interactions.

During the opening ceremony of the Shandong cultural exhibition at the festival, Cheng Shoutian, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, noted that Shandong and Japan are separated by just a sea and have strong cooperation across various fields.

He expressed his hope that the event would provide an opportunity for more people to discover Shandong, establish a closer platform for cultural exchange, and enhance cultural interaction and collaboration between China and Japan.

Many people showed up at the festival. Hiroko Wada, a 38-year-old Tokyo resident, stopped by a booth offering panda-related souvenirs.

"I'm here for a panda-themed event because I'm such a big fan of pandas," said Wada, who also loves Chinese cuisine.

Nene, a 22-year-old woman who preferred not to share her last name, gave the festival's game of playing ping-pong with a slipper a try.

"I'm really interested in Chinese culture. I studied Chinese at university, but speaking it is quite challenging," she said.

"I'm also excited to enjoy some authentic Chinese flavors. There are so many delicious-looking foods here, and I can't wait to stroll around, eating and drinking along the way," she added.

Younger people are gradually taking over Japan-China relations, said Toshiyasu Ogawa, a participant of the Japan-China Friendship Association.

"Five years ago, people in their 70s and 80s were mostly the ones running the festival. But now, it's people in their 30s and 40s, and I feel hopeful that they are passing Japan-China relations on to the next generation," Ogawa said.