Cultural festival stresses Sino-Japanese relations

The two-day China Festival 2024, which concluded in Tokyo on Sunday, garnered widespread attention and participation from people from all walks of life in both China and Japan.

The festival has been held at Yoyogi Park for many years. It has become an important platform for Sino-Japanese cultural exchange and cooperation, said Wu Jianghao, Chinese ambassador to Japan.

The goal of the festival is to showcase the rich, traditional Chinese culture and the country's achievements, allowing more people to experience and understand contemporary China up close.

"We are willing to work with various sectors in both countries to use the China Festival as a bridge, encouraging more people — especially the younger generation — to participate in friendly exchanges between China and Japan," Wu said at the opening ceremony of the festival in Tokyo on Saturday.

"We hope that through the two-day China Festival, more Japanese friends will get to know and understand China, and have the opportunity to visit and experience the real and vibrant China," he added.

This year's China Festival marks the largest in its history, featuring a record-breaking nearly 150 booths. In addition, the organizers successfully brought in a greater number of artists from China for stage performances than ever before, according to Yoichiro Aoyagi, a member of Japan's House of Representatives and secretary-general of the festival's executive committee.

Japan and China, as neighbors, have now become leading nations in Asia and globally, particularly in the economic sphere, said Aoyagi.

"Although there are indeed many challenges between Japan and China, I believe it is crucial to maintain dialogue and exchanges between the people of both countries. We play a key role in ensuring these connections continue," he said.

Former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda emphasized that mutual exchanges are crucial for sustaining good relationships between the two countries. It's not only about government-level interactions but also about fostering people-to-people exchanges.

He further highlighted that the festival aims to showcase the very best of China, with the hope of encouraging more people from Japan to visit and experience the country firsthand.

The China Festival plays a key role in promoting such exchanges. Since its launch in 2017, it has consistently attracted large crowds. Masahiro Komura, the parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, said the event offers the Japanese people a valuable chance to experience Chinese culture, including tourism, the economy, regional interactions, and authentic Chinese cuisine.