Ｍｅｅｔｉｎｇ ｏｆ Ｈｅａｄｓ ｏｆ Ｐｅｏｐｌｅ－ｔｏ－Ｐｅｏｐｌｅ Ｏｒｇａｎｉｚａｔｉｏｎｓ ｏｆ Ｃｈｉｎａ ａｎｄ Ｊａｐａｎ Ｈｅｌｄ

The heads of people-to-people organizations of China and Japan gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the morning of March 31 for a meeting to exchange views on strengthening nongovernmental exchanges and improving Sino-Japanese relations. Present at the meeting from the Chinese side were Song Jian， president of the China-Japan Friendship Association， Chen Haosu， president of the CPAFFC， Zhou Qiang， first secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Youth League， Huang Qingyi， vice chairperson of the All-China Women’s Federation， Sun Chunlan， vice chairperson of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions， and Wan Jifei， president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Attending the meeting from the Japanese side were Ryutaro Hashimoto， president of the Japanese Council for the Promotion of International Trade and former Japanese prime minister， Masahiko Komura， president of the Dietmen’s League for Japan-China Friendship and former foreign minister， Ikuo Hirayama， president of the Japan-China Friendship Association， Takashi Tsujii， president of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association， Akira Chihaya， president of the Japan-China Association on Economy and Trade， Takeshi Noda， president of the Japan-China Society and former home affairs minister， Hayashi Yoshiro， president of the Japan-China Friendship Centre and former finance minister， Katsuya Okada， vice president of the Dietmen’s League for Japan-China Friendship and former chairman of the Democratic Party， Akihiro Ota， vice president of the Dietmen’s League for Japan-China Friendship and acting secretary general of the Komei Party， Akira Amari， secretary general of the Dietmen’s League for Japan-China Friendship and former labour minister， as well as secretaries general of the seven Japan-China friendship organizations.

CJFA President Song Jian spoke first. He said， it is the first time in the history of nongovernmental contact between China and Japan that the presidents of people-to-people organizations of the two countries get together to discuss matters of vital importance to Sino-Japanese friendship， which is of great significance under the current situation. People-to-people friendship is a traditional advantage of Sino-Japanese friendship. Faced with the new situation， we would like to make joint efforts with the nongovernmental friendship organizations of the two countries， continue to hold high the banner of China-Japan friendship， carry forward the fine tradition， play a positive role in “promoting official ties through people-to-people contact”， and carry out rich and varied exchanges in all fields to make fresh contributions to furthering peace， friendship and cooperation between China and Japan. Nongovernmental organizations of the two countries should exert more efforts to promote exchanges between the political circles of the two countries and increase trade， cultural and youth exchanges so as to enhance the mutual understanding and trust and cultivate successors to the cause of China-Japan friendship.

Ryutaro Hashimoto said， the seven Japan-China friendship organizations hold that to overcome the obstacles and difficulties in bilateral relations， it is very important to uphold the principles set in the three political documents between the two countries， draw lessons from history and look to the future. Therefore， concrete measures should be strengthened， particularly nongovernmental exchanges and cooperation between all strata should be carried out vigorously.

Takeshi Noda recalled his work in helping organize the grand get-together of the Japanese and Chinese youth in 1984. He said， at that time about 80% people in Japan cherished friendly sentiments towards China. As the situation changes， now the percentage of people in both countries who have friendly feelings towards each other has dropped， which is worrying. Noda expressed his hope that bilateral relations will soon get out of the stalemate.

Ikuo Hirayama hoped to clear up misunderstanding between the two countries through cultural exchanges. He especially pointed out， the media should give correct coverage of the Japan-China relations. He hoped that young Japanese journalists will visit China more often to learn about the country and the young Chinese journalists will also go to Japan to have a look so as to deepen their mutual understanding and enable them to write reports that will not mislead people.

Takashi Tsujii said， the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association regards the spirit of peace stipulated in the Japanese Constitution as the cornerstone of all exchanges. While concentrating attention on one’s national interests， one must also give consideration to the interests of other countries. This is political morality. The current problem lies in the fact that some politicians in Japan focus their attention not so much on the interests of Japan as on their own interests， which is no good for Japan.

Zhou Qiang， Huang Qingyi， Sun Chunlan and Wan Jifei aired their views on enhancing exchanges between youth， women， trade unions， and economic and trade circles of the two countries.

Chen Haosu spoke last. He pointed out， people-to-people organizations of the two countries should strengthen cooperation and exert their utmost efforts to work for lasting friendship with the short-term goal of improving bilateral political relations and the long-term pursuit of promoting the understanding， trust and friendship between the two peoples. Chen call on the nongovernmental organizations of the two countries to carry out cultural exchanges， economic and trade cooperation and other forms of unofficial contact to increase mutual trust between the two peoples and push for the improvement of bilateral political relations in accordance with the principles of “promoting trust through cultural exchanges”， “promoting political relations through economic and trade contact” and “promoting official ties through people-to-people contact”. Now some Japanese leaders’ insistence on paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine has become the crux affecting political mutual trust， which should be solved properly. We do not mean that apart from the problem of paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine there are no other problems between China and Japan. But， without the solution of this problem， the solution of other problems is not to speak of. The Chinese Government is ready to resolve the questions of history and Taiwan and properly handle all questions that may cause differences and disputes together with the Japanese side in the spirit of forward-looking so as to build up trust， reduce differences and doubts and reach the final solution.

Chen Haosu said， Chinese nongovernmental organizations stick to friendship in the spirit of mutual trust in their contact with Japan. While seeking Japan’s understanding of the Chinese propositions， we have also done substantive amount of work to win the support of the Chinese masses for our efforts to improve bilateral relations. The normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan was a great achievement of promoting official ties through people-to-people contact. I hope that through cooperation between nongovernmental organizations of the two countries， a new situation will be opened up for the cause of lasting friendship between China and Japan.