2017 Japan -

Teenage Ambassadors

Japan Program Report

July 10th (Monday) - July 17th (Monday)

AEON 1% Club Foundation

To whom it may concern AEON 1% Club Foundation

Report (Japan Program)

Thank you for your support and understanding for the activities of the AEON 1% Club. This program, which has been running since 2009, reached its ninth year this year. The following is our report on the exchange program in Japan.

■ Implementation period: July 10th, 2017 (Monday) - July 17th, 2017 (Monday) ■ Purpose of implementation: Promoting friendly between the two countries ■ Participants: (1) 70 Japanese high-school students University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School, 20 students (exchange with High-school students from ) Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School, 15 students (exchange with High-school students from Beijing) Sapporo Nihon University Senior High School, 20 students (exchange with high-school students from Qingdao) Iwata High School, 15 students (exchange with high-school students from Wuhan) (2) 70 Chinese high-school students Beijing: Beijing Jingshan School, 10 students (exchange with University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School) Beijing Sanlitun No.1 High School, 10 students (exchange with University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School) Beijing Shunyi Niulanshan No.1 High School, 15 students (exchange with Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School) Wuhan: Wuhan Foreign Language High School, 15 students (exchange with Iwata High School) Qingdao City: Qingdao No.58 High School, 20 students (exchange with Sapporo Nihon University Senior High School) ■ Main program: (1) Courtesy activities: - Courtesy visit to the prime minister's office, courtesy visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Q&A session with counselor 四方) - Q&A session with Minister Guo Yan at the Japanese Embassy in China - Reception at the Japanese Embassy in China - Courtesy visit to Hokkaido Government Office - Courtesy visit to Oita City (2) Historic and cultural experience activities, etc. - Yukata dressing experience, visit to Asakusa - Tomita Village Farm Garden, harvest experience - Aizome Indigo dyeing, wadaiko (Japanese drum) experience, bamboo craft experience, sheep wool craft experience - Visit to Tokyo University, etc. (3) Exchange activities - Class experience (in Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Oita) - Homestay, farewell party (as above) - Visits to , the , the Great Wall, the Olympic Stadium ■ Differences from past events: Beijing (1) The Japanese Embassy in China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were presented with a “Japan-China Teenage Ambassador Friendship Declaration” (2) First visit to Tokyo University Qingdao (3) Embedded reporting by Beijing TV (accompanied by one journalist and one photographer) Wuhan (4) Fuller program of courtesy visits (added a courtesy visit to the vice-governor of Hokkaido) (5) Approved a Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ program to Mark the 45th Anniversary of Normalized Sino-Japanese Relations (6) First application for support in the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

■ Courtesy activities - Courtesy visit to the prime minister's office Courtesy visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Q&A session with Minister Guo Yan at the Japanese Embassy in China ↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors present a handmade - Reception at the Japanese embroidery to Deputy chief cabinet secretary Koichi Hagiuda Embassy in China - Courtesy visit to Hokkaido Government Office - Courtesy visit to Oita City - Courtesy visit to the prime minister's office Date and time: July 12th, 2017 (Wednesday), 11:00 - 11:30 Courtesy visits to: Deputy chief cabinet secretary Koichi Hagiuda

Commemorative photograph upon courtesy visit to the prime minister's office July 12th 2017 (Tokyo and Beijing teams)

- Speech by the representative of the Chinese teenage ambassadors China’s classic book Han Fei Tzu includes the statement that “Diplomatic relations come from friendship between people, which in turn comes from links between hearts”. China and Japan are neighboring countries, and it’s fair to say that they have a common destiny. We want to work to build smooth communication between the two countries, as a new life force to support our countries, and to contribute to some degree to future Japanese-Chinese relations. Beijing Jingshan School students - Speech by the representative of the Japanese teenage ambassadors In this exchange, we represent Japan’s young people, and we are working to understand the goodness of China, while we help Chinese people to understand the goodness of Japan. We also want to work, consciously and positively, for much closer relations between our two countries. Just as pandas became goodwill ambassadors, we teenage ambassadors strongly desire and strive to stand as proof of the friendship between Japan and China. University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School students

- Courtesy visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Q&A session Date and time: July 11th, 2017 (Tuesday), 11:00 - 12:00 Courtesy visits to: Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida Q&A Session: Counselor Noriyuki Shikata

I am delighted to welcome you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this year that marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations. It is vitally important to maintain stability between Japan and China, and to raise mutual understanding, by really feeling and sharing things, with your eyes and hearts, and getting into direct exchanges. At the time of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I hope you will be entering university, becoming bilateral supporters of Japan and China, and assisting each other. I want you to build up exchanges for the future on 45 years of exchanges to date, and take the process further, to work in various fields and serve as bridges between Japan and China. (Excerpt) Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida

While you teenage ambassadors are in Japan, I very much hope that you will experience all kinds of things, reach your own understanding of Japan, and pass that on to your friends and families back in your own country, get much more interested in Japan, and work as bridges for friendly relations between Japan and China in future. While you’re young, please be sure to experience all kinds of things, and broaden your perspectives. (Excerpt) - Counselor Noriyuki Shikata - Q&A session with Counselor Noriyuki Shikata

Q: What do you think about the Japan-China teenage ambassador exchange events? And what do you expect of high-school students?

A: I want this event to be an opportunity for you to make lots of new friends, who will be your friends for 20 years, 30 years, or for life. I also think this kind of program can lead to overseas study and jobs. Japan and China have cultural elements in common. For example, both countries use Kanji. How much can Chinese people understand when they read a Japanese newspaper? I believe people able to serve as bridges between Japan and China will be essential when cultures differ or opinions diverge. I think this event will be a great success if it triggers you to want to study more.

Q: Number of foreign students in Japan is declining. Is there anything the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can do about that?

A: Students from Japan going to study abroad have also been declining in recent years. I don’t think that’s a desirable trend. The government is considering a variety of policies. For example, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has started the “Tobitate” (Take Off) overseas study promotion program for Japanese high-school students, and is supporting Japanese in their overseas studies. As the number of foreign students coming to Japan from other countries increases, it will stimulate Japanese people to want to take a look at other countries for themselves. A growing number of Japanese companies offer scholarships for overseas study, as a way of hiring personnel who are ready to work well internationally, as they engage in intense competition in international markets. Of course, if the students aren’t interested, it doesn’t matter how much support the government provides. So I hope that this kind of activity will make you want to take on the challenge.

- Q&A session at the Chinese Embassy Date and time: July 11th, 2017 (Tuesday), 16:45 - 17:45 Q&A Session: Minister Guo Yan

Q: Do you have any advice for us about what we can do in future, as teenage ambassadors, to promote friendship between China and Japan?

A: First of all, while you’re visiting Japan, please see with your own eyes, and get into as much exchange as you want. Then, after you go back to China, it will be very important to share what you have seen, heard, and felt for yourself with your families and friends. I hope that this exchange program will raise your interest in Japanese-Chinese relations. I want you all to grow up into splendid adult members of society, so that you can contribute to exchange between China and Japan in various fields.

Q: I believe diplomats bear extremely have responsibilities and need to have very high levels of ability, but I think just words and ability are not enough. What is the most important ability for working as a diplomat?

A: - I agree with you completely. Language alone is not enough when one is a diplomat. What is needed more is advanced senses of mission and responsibility, a spirit of service, and passionate feelings. I think it’s very important to have passion for promoting and furthering friendly relations with the countries one is posted to. Wide-ranging knowledge and capability, and particularly the ability to communicate with people, are also highly important. I think it is people with that kind of passion and ability that can become diplomats.

Reception at the Chinese Embassy Date and time: July 11th, 2017 (Tuesday), 18:30 - 21:00

↑ Group commemorative photograph (From center left, ambassador Cheng Yonghua, ambassadress Wang Wan, Takeshi Noda, Minister Guo Yan, assembly member (AM) Masaharu Nakagawa, AM Yuko Obuchi, AM Tatsuo Fukuda, AM Ayuko Kato, counselor Noriyuki Shikata, Xie Yue Director, director Ryoichi Yamamoto, auditor Hideo Seto, auditor Masakatsu Mori, Masahiro Ueda. Center, from right, honorary chairperson Takuya Okada, chairman Hiroshi Yokoo, AM Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister Katsunobu Kato, Minister Tamayo Marukawa, AM Motohisa Furukawa, AM Tetsuro Fukuyama, AM Yasuhide Nakayama, Gao Zhiyong Deputy Director, senior advisor Naoki Hayashi, councilor Yoshiki Mori, auditor Masaaki Toyoshima, director Soichi Okazaki, president Kenji Kawahara.)

There are a total of 220 people in the photograph. The China-Japan Teenage Ambassadors Program has an important and profound significance, and we have played an active role in it, so that high-school students can, through mutual visits with the powerful support of both governments, companies, schools, homes, and others, better understand their counterpart country and its society and culture, and promote friendly bilateral exchange between citizens of both countries. This year is the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, and next year is the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese peace treaty. There is an atmosphere of change for the better in bilateral relations. We want the young people of both countries to make use of each other’s strengths, learn together, fully and objectively recognize each other, and breathe new life into ongoing improvement in bilateral relations. We also hope that the teenage ambassadors who aim to support friendship projects between China and Japan persevere to become diplomats, and one day even ambassadors, helping to further bilateral relations. - Ambassador Cheng Yonghua

I want all of you to take this opportunity to engage in enthusiastic exchange within each region through this exchange program. The last 45 years have seen good times and bad times in Japanese-Chinese relations. Having come through those times, Japan and China are key neighbors across a narrow sea, and we must maintain friendly relations, whatever states we find each other in. I pray that you high-school students will fulfill your roles as teenage ambassadors, and make great progress in becoming the foundations for Katsunobu Kato, Minister for friendly relations between Japan and Promoting Dynamic Engagement China. of All Citizens - Chair Takeshi Noda Takeshi Noda, chair of the Japan-China Friendship Those of you who are here in Tokyo from Association Beijing should know that Tokyo is Yasuhide Nakayama, working on all kinds of projects towards member of the House of Representatives the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, three years from now. Those of you visiting Oita from Wuhan should know that the north of Kyushu was severely damaged by heavy rains, but Yōichirō Aoyagi, Toshimitsu Motegi, Masaharu Nakayama, Ichiro Aisawa, member of the House member of the House member of the House of member of the House disaster relief is moving ahead to bring of Representatives of Representatives Representatives of Representatives recovery as quickly as possible. Oita is a wonderful place, so I hope you see a lot of things there. I want all of you who are visiting Sapporo from Qingdao to enjoy the expansive land and splendid natural Ayuko Kato, member 四方敬之 of the Tetsuro Fukuyama, Tatsuo Fukuda, of the House of Ministry of Foreign member of the member of the House environment of Hokkaido. This year Representatives Affairs House of Councilors of Representatives marks the 45th Anniversary of normalized Sino-Japanese relations. We all carry on the excellent tradition of those who have gone before us in striving for Japanese-Chinese friendship, and I want us to work together, with courage and faith in friendship, to build a bright future in Japanese-Chinese relations. Assembly member Toshimitsu Motegi

I expect those of you who came here from China are wondering what on earth a “Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens” actually does. My job as a minister is to build an environment where Japan’s 127 million people can each have their own hopes and dreams, and do their best in active participation. Perhaps for all you high-school students, the teenage ambassadors of Japan and China, the activities of this week will lead you to realize your hopes, dreams, and ideas for the future. In that sense, there are many things in this program which are very closely linked with my role. Minister Katsunobu Kato

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan Ambassador Cheng Yonghua

Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Asia-Pacific Division Counselor Noriyuki Shikata

- Donor: Representative of the Japanese teenage ambassadors: University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior ↑The representative of the Chinese teenage High School ambassador reads out the Japan-China ↑Japan-China Teenage Ambassador Friendship Declaration Representative of the Chinese teenage Friendship Declaration (Japanese ambassadors: version) Qingdao No.58 High School

↑ From the left, the representative of the Japanese teenage ambassadors, Ambassador Cheng Yonghua, Counselor Noriyuki ↑ Presentation of a Japan-China ↑ Japan-China Friendship Declaration Shikata, and the representative of the (Chinese version) Friendship Declaration Chinese teenage ambassadors

↑ Demonstrations of group singing and shadow pictures ↑ Demonstration of the Noh play “Atsumori” by Japanese by Chinese teenage ambassadors teenage ambassadors

↑ Presentation of a commemorative work of calligraphy ↑ Presentation of a commemorative work of calligraphy by Chinese teenage ambassadors to 1% Club founder and by Chinese teenage ambassadors to Ambassador Cheng honorary chairperson Okada Yonghua

- Courtesy visit to Hokkaido Government Office Date and time: July 14th (Friday), 2017, 10:00 - 11:10 Courtesy visits to: Yasuhiro Tsuji, deputy governor of Hokkaido

↑ Speech by the representative of the Chinese teenage ambassadors ↑ Welcoming address from deputy governor Yasuhiro Tsuji to the teenage ambassadors of both countries

↑ Commemorative photograph (from center left, deputy ↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors present a picture of governor Yasuhiro Tsuji, assembly member Seiko Osaki, “peony and sakura” to deputy governor Yasuhiro Tsuji International Bureau director general Tetsuo Sato, and others)

- Courtesy visit to Oita City Office Date and time: July 14th (Friday), 2017, 10:00 - 10:30 Courtesy visits to: Oita Mayor Kiichiro Sato

↑ Welcoming address from Mayor Kiichiro Sato deputy governor Yasuhiro Tsuji to the teenage ambassadors of ↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors present calligraphy both countries wall scrolls to Mayor Kiichiro Sato

↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors who were previously exchange students in Oita thank Mayor Kiichiro Sato

■ Historic and cultural experience - Yukata dressing experience, visit to Asakusa - Tomita Village Farm Garden, harvest experience - Aizome indigo dyeing experience, Wadaiko drumming experience - Bamboo craft experience, wool craft experience ↑ Wadaiko drumming experience - Visit to Tokyo University, etc.

↑ ↑ Trying fresh-picked peppers Visiting AEON no Mori forest

↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors experience harvesting at Tomita Village Farm Garden

↑Chinese teenage ambassadors strolling in Asakusa after their yukata dressing experience

↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors enjoy wool craft

↑↑ Chinese Chinese teenage teenage ambassadors ambassadors listen enjoy toaizome a lecture indigo at Tokyo dyeing University

↑■ VisitingChinese Tokyo teenage University, ambassadors at the Red ↑ Chinese teenage ambassadors experience making bamboo ware haveGate their first experience of wadaiko Japanese drumming

■Exchange activities

- Class experience - Homestay - Farewell party * Each activity took place in Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Oita

↑Homestay scene

- Class experience Date and time: July 14th (Friday), 2017 Location: University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School <=> Beijing Jingshan School, Beijing Sanlitun No.1 High School Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School <=> Beijing Shunyi Niulanshan No.1 High School Iwata High School <=> Wuhan Foreign Language High School Sapporo Nihon University Senior High School <=> Qingdao No.58 High School

In Tsukuba In Tsukuba

The student council leader and all the students of the school welcome the teenage ambassadors from Beijing

↑ Playing table tennis in an after-class club

In Gakugei In Gakugei Teenage ambassadors from Beijing trying archery

↑ Teenage ambassadors from Beijing getting an explanation of archery

In Iwata In Iwata

Japanese teenage ambassadors explain math to teenage ambassadors from Wuhan

↑ Teenage ambassadors from Wuhan experience dressing in yukata

In Sapporo In Sapporo Teenage ambassadors from Qingdao try kendo

↑Teenage ambassadors practice movie lines in an English class

● Homestay Date and time: July 14th, 2017 (Friday) - July 16th (Sunday) Location: Exchange pair homes Photography cooperation subjects: University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School (Beijing) Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School (Beijing) Iwata High School (Wuhan) Sapporo Nihon University Senior High School (Qingdao)

In Oita Sharing an enjoyable meal with a homestay family

In Tokyo

Get on a train and off to homestay!

Meeting at last! Cheers!

In Hokkaido Students using dictionaries as the try their best to communicate

In Oita May our wishes come true!

- Farewell party Time: July 16th, 2017 (Tuesday) Location: Hotel East 21 Tokyo (Tokyo venue) Oita Oasis Tower Hotel (Oita venue) Hotel Emisia Sapporo (Hokkaido venue)

In Tokyo

Group photograph of 200 participants and their families at the Tokyo venue

In Oita In Oita

↑ Demonstration of tai chi ↑Demonstration of Bon odori In Hokkaido In Hokkaido fan by Chinese teenage by Japanese and Chinese ambassadors at the Oita teenage ambassadors at the venue Hokkaido venue

↑Deputy mayor Akira Kudo Demonstration of the koto playing In Tokyo chatting with teenage by Japanese teenage ambassadors ambassadors at the Oita at the Tokyo venue venue

In Tokyo In Hokkaido

↑ A Japanese teenage ↑ ambassador↑ reading out a A mother reading a letter from thank a -you Assembly letter from member a Seiko Osaki Chinese teenage ambassador at thepaired chatting student with at teenage the ambassadors at Tokyo Venue Hokkaidothe venue Hokkaido venue In Hokkaido In Oita

↑Teenage ambassadors at the Hokkaido ↑Japanese teenage ambassadors at the venue, looking forward to meeting again Oita venue, doing their best in their last in October performance

■ Participants’ comments

■ Courtesy visit to the prime minister's office Deputy chief cabinet secretary Koichi Hagiuda said he had hopes for youth exchanges but I thought that for myself it had previously been a formality. But once we actually met to talk and listen, I got a strong feeling that youth exchange is the key to building friendly relations. It was a good experience, being able to hear the kind of talk we can’t normally encounter.

University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School students

■ Courtesy visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs It was a great honor to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was also very happy to hear what minister Kishida was saying. During the Q&A session, I heard other students’ questions and the answers from Counselor 四方敬之, and I was amazed by how interested all the students were in exchange between Japan and China, and around the world. Their enthusiasm really came across. It was a very important time. Beijing Jingshan School students

■ Reception at the Chinese Embassy I felt that we will have to much more than before to build friendly relations between Japan and China. That’s why I want much more exchange with my paired student as a teenage ambassador, to get to be closer friends and then pass on Japanese culture to people around me. I want to work to eliminate prejudice and misunderstanding. Student of Wuhan School of Foreign Languages

■ Reception at the Chinese Embassy There were lots of VIPs there who I could never normally meet, and I listened to many precious comments. It was great fun and I met my partner to talk with about all kinds of things, so I was very happy. We have the same hobbies and get along really well, so I’m sure we’ll get to be even better friends through the homestay. University of Tsukuba Junior & Senior High School students

■ Visit to Tokyo University Tokyo University is a famous university with a long history, and many of its students study while working. I believe the government has set a policy for that. I think it’s really good that students can study while doing part-time jobs, with legal protection. There’s a Chinese saying that “if you never do house work, you don’t know the price of rice”, and I think it’s a really good thing that students get out into the real world earlier, to make their tuition fees, raising their abilities and learning to appreciate their parents’ hard work. - Student of Sanlitun No.1 High School in Beijing

The history of the Japanese-Chinese Teenage Ambassador Program

■ 1996*1 Kanazawa City (Ishikawa Prefectural Kanazawa Hong Kong, 24 students Tatsumigaoka High School) Matsuyama City (Matsuyama Higashi High School)

■ 1998*1 Chiba City (Uekusa Gakuen University Academy, Qingdao City, 24 students Showa Gakuin High School) Niigata City (Keiwagakuen High School) ■ 2004*1 Ota City (Ota Municipal Commercial High School) Guangzhou City, 20 students ■ 2009 Tokyo, 20 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 20 students Senior High School ) ■ 2010 Tokyo, 40 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 40 students Senior High School Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School) ■ 2011 Tokyo, 39 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 40 students Senior High School Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School) ■ 2012 Tokyo, 97 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, 100 students Senior High School Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School Ochanomizu University Senior High School Tokyo Metropolitan Nishi High School) ■ 2013 Tokyo, 30 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 30 students Senior High School Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School) Osaka Prefecture, 15 students (Ikeda Senior High Wuhan, 15 students School Attached to Osaka Kyoiku University) Hyogo Prefecture, 15 students (Hyogo Prefectural Suzhou City, 15 students Himeji Nishi High School) ■ 2014 Tokyo, 45 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 30 students Senior High School ) (Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School) Wuhan, 15 students Chiba City, 15 students (Chiba Municipal Chiba Suzhou City, 15 students High School) ■ 2015 Tokyo, 45 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 30 students Senior High School ) (Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School) Wuhan, 15 students Chiba City, 15 students (Chiba Municipal Chiba Suzhou City, 15 students High School)

18 ■ 2016*2 Tokyo, 20 students (University of Tsukuba Junior & Beijing, 20 students Senior High School) Chiba City, 10 students (Chiba Municipal Chiba Beijing, 10 students High School) Oita City, 20 students (Iwata High School) Wuhan, 20 students Kita-Hiroshima City, 20 students (Sapporo Nihon Qingdao, 20 students University Senior High School) *1 The exchanges in 1996, 1998, and 2004 were not bilateral, only involving Chinese high-school students visiting Japan. *2 Japanese high-school students are scheduled to visit China in October of the same year.

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