Japan-China Association 50th Anniversary Reception

On October 22, 2025, a grand reception was held at the Phoenix Room of the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Japan-China Association, a general incorporated association .

The event was attended by many guests from the political, business, and diplomatic circles, as well as those involved in Japan-China friendship, who looked back on the long history of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and pledged to further develop the relationship in the future.

■ Opening and guest introductions

The ceremony began with an opening address by Tsuyoshi Noda , Chairman of the Japan-China Association. Looking back on the association's half-century of activities, which have supported friendship at the private level since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in the 1970s, Chairman Noda made a powerful statement, saying, "We will further deepen economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges over the next 50 years."

■ Guest congratulatory speech

This was followed by congratulatory speeches from the following guests:

• Mr. Takehiro Funakoshi, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs (represented by Mr. Tsunenari Nomura, Counselor, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau)

• Wu Jianghao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Japan

• Yuan Mindao, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

• Yutaka Moriyama, Chairman of the Japan-China Parliamentary Friendship Association (Member of the House of Representatives)

  
  

Each of them emphasized the importance of stable development of Japan-China relations and mutual understanding. In particular, Ambassador Wu stated that "heart-to-heart exchanges between the peoples of our two countries are the foundation of true friendship," and called for strengthened cooperation in various areas, including culture and education.

■ A moment of toast and socializing

The toast was proposed by Yuji Miyamoto, Chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Center Public Interest Foundation (former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China)**, which was met with thunderous applause from the audience.

After the ceremony, participants enjoyed socializing and taking commemorative photographs, providing a valuable opportunity for people from both Japan and China to deepen exchanges across generations.

This reception was an opportunity to reaffirm the history of trust and exchange that the Japan-China Association has built up over the years.

They also shared a strong determination to further promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries as we look toward the next half century.