Ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ，Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ，Ｔｒｕｓｔ

Zhejiang Gongshang University hosted the 3rd Sasakawa Cup Contest on Japan in September， 2007. Eleven universities across the region of East China sent their teams to the contest.

Mr. Takeju Ogata， the president of Japan Nippon Foundation， delivered a speech before the contest began. He explained that the third contest was different from the previous two in the fact that contestants could speak Chinese this time. He believed it was a good idea for contestants to speak both Chinese and Japanese when competing to see how knew more about Japan. After examining the history of friendship between Chinese and Japanese peoples， Mr. Ogata said， “The people present here should carry out the historical task of inheriting the traditional Sino-Japanese friendship. We should not forget history. Nor should we ignore cultural dialogues. This contest is designed to promote cultural exchange between China and Japan. It can help Chinese people understand more about Japan， enhance mutual understanding， and build up trust on the basis of understanding. Let college students take the task of building trust and writing the new chapters of traditional China-Japan relations.”

The Chinese contestants had incredible knowledge about Japan.A girl contestant replied that Japan measured 2，800 kilometers from north to south. When the emcee judged she had got it wrong， the girl challenged the emcee， saying that she had read two books about the length and there were two data. Her explanation caused a stir among the audience. The Japanese guests at the contest were impressed. The jurors decided that in this case the girl was given additional points for her going out of her way to read two books on the highway.

After the contest， I talked with Ms Mieko Oshima， the president of the Association of Science under the foundation， which is the sponsor of the past three contests. She said that winners of the previous two contests had the opportunities to study and stay with Japanese students of the Chinese language at Waseda University of Japan. The Chinese college students stayed with Japanese families to enhance their understanding of Japan. The president said it was her first presence at this contest. She was deeply impressed and touched by the Chinese students’ profound knowledge of Japan’s yesterday and today. She believed that activities like the contest could enable the young people of China and Japan to compare notes on culture and history so that they could better face history and future， and promote the friendly exchanges between China and Japan in the spirit of friendship and sympathy.

I also interviewed the president Takeju Ogata of Japan Nippon Foundation after the contest. My respect for him grew as we talked about his visits to China. He said he had visited China on various occasions. In the past he had come with the previous president of the foundation. He had met with Deng Xiaoping on several occasions. In his eye， Deng was an excellent leader and a man of personal charm.

Mr. Takeju Ogata was excited to talk about the delegations of Chinese mayors that had visited Japan. He accompanied the first delegation from beginning to end. He assisted their efforts to attract investment for their cities during daytime and drank with them by night.

I found the president highly versed in Chinese culture and history. He smiled and said he was quite interested in Chinese history and culture. His study had focused on the periods of the Spring Autumn and Warring States and the Three Kingdoms， for he believed that the two specific periods highlighted Chinese wisdom， strategy and knowledge. He said he was not alone in thinking this way in Japan.

Mr. Ogata liked Hangzhou very much. He found the city clean， the people nice and highly educated， and the cuisine delicious. He liked the ancient poetic metaphor that West Lake was as beautiful as a girl. He wished he could come to live in Hangzhou.