May 28th, 2020

(From chinareports.org.cn, Correspondent: Li Chuanjun) Since the outbreak and spread of Covid-19 pandemic around the world, China and Japan have written “even though the landscapes are diverse, we share the wind and moon under the same sky” in the cooperation of anti-pandemic based on a solid foundation of public opinion and common cultural heritage.

In the early stage of China’s anti-pandemic campaign, all walks of life in Japan actively donated money and materials to China. Many touching scenes are still unforgettable. For example, at Ikebukuro West Gate Park in the Full Moon Festival of Tokyo Lantern Show, a Japanese girl wearing a cheongsam constantly bowed in depth in the biting cold wind to raise money for Wuhan, and hanged over the funds and items to the Chinese Embassy in Japan with the fund raisers on February 13, and was received and praised by Chinese ambassador Kong Xuanyou. For another example, the gauze masks donated by all sectors of Japan to China were pasted with the slogan "even though the landscapes are diverse, we share the wind and moon under the same sky", which caused heated discussion on Chinese social media. Following the lighting of “China Red” on Chinese New Year’s Eve to welcome the traditional Chinese New Year, the Tokyo Tower in Japan lit “China Red” again at 17 p.m. on February 18, cheering for China and Japan to join hands in fighting against Covid-19 pandemic. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the entire cabinet members donated their salaries to China to express their support to China.

When the Covid-19 pandemic spread in Japan, many Chinese enterprises and people from all walks of life also made donations. The Chinese government donated 5000 sets of protective clothing and other anti-pandemic materials, Ma Yun donated 1 million gauze masks to Japan, the Huangbo Cultural Association, together with many people from Fujian, donated gauze masks to Manpuku-ji Temple in Japan, and some Chinese girls wore doll clothes and distributed love masks on the street of Tokyo, which attracted the attention of millions net friends and touched countless Chinese people.

Based on the common cultural foundation of China and Japan, many people and institutions in Japan have made full use of Oriental culture to hold a series of activities for the happiness and well-being of the two peoples in the process of fighting against Covid-19 pandemic. For example, the live broadcast of “how to protect yourself with traditional Chinese medicine on the way to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic”, hosted by the Union of Chinese Residing in Japan and organized by the Japan Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, was held on May 3 in Japan to guide people on how to protect themselves with traditional Chinese medicine. At the beginning of March, Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation (APECF), and Shinpei Matsushita, Member of House of Councillors of Japan and Director of Treasury and Finance Division of Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, went to Imayamadaisi Temple in Miyazaki to participate in the anti-pandemic Buddhist assembly between China and Japan, which had a broad influence. In view of the face that the people of the two countries regard the dragon as an auspicious symbol and totem, the delegation wen to the Omi Shrine to worship the Ryuuchi, a very important holy land in Japanese culture. Mitsuaki Niina, Guuji of Omi Shrine, accompanied and presided over the event.

On March 5, accompanied by Shinpei Matsushita, Member of House of Councillors of Japan, Xiao Wunan paid a visit to Katsutoshi Sekiguchi, Chairman of World Divine Light Organization, and discussed how to strengthen cultural exchanges between China and Japan under the current Covid-19 pandemic, especially promoting the cooperation of Chinese calligraphy in Japan, and reached a positive consensus. This organization expressed the option that it would hold a series of exchange activities on Chinese culture after the end of the pandemic to actively promote mutual understanding and cognition between Chinese culture and Japanese culture.

APECF has maintained a high degree of cooperation with all walks of life in Japan during the period of Sino-Japanese joint fight against COVID-19, promoted many exchange and cooperation projects, made positive contributions, and laid a solid foundation for the continuous improvement of Sino-Japanese friendly relations.

Executive Editor: Li Chuanjun