The Activities of the Japan Foundation

Culture: Arts and Cultural Exchange
The Japan Foundation China Center

The Japan Foundation China Center works to enhance mutual understanding between Japan and China by deepening cultural exchange primarily between youths, who play a key role in the future of the two countries, and by providing them with opportunities to experience each other's cultures and lives in each other's countries. 心连心 ("Heart to Heart" in Chinese)—this is our slogan. The Japan Foundation China Center will continue to implement projects that emphasize interactivity and collaboration, and seek to build deeper, longer-term emotional ties.

Long-Term Exchange Program for Chinese High School Students

The China Center provides the opportunity for Chinese high school students to experience the lifestyles of typical Japanese high school students for an 11 month period. In FY2019, 26 students of the 13th session returned to China in July and 26 students of the 14th session arrived in Japan in September, bringing the total number of participants to 442. Of the 416 students who have participated in the program up to the 13th session, 221 have returned to Japan in some manner, such as studying at Japanese universities or postgraduate schools or working at companies in Japan. In this way, the program is steadily fostering personnel who can bring Japan and China closer together.

The 26 students of the 14th session arrived in Japan in September 2019 and are experiencing life as exchange students in high schools across the country.

Centers for "Face-to-Face Exchanges" in China

Centers for "Face-to-Face Exchanges" have been established in universities and other institutions in regional cities around China where opportunities to meet Japanese people and gain information about Japan are relatively limited. The centers provide venues where visitors can experience contemporary Japanese culture by browsing, viewing and listening to the latest magazines, books, visual materials and other contents from Japan. Furthermore, a wide variety of Japan-China exchange events are held through the cooperation of Japanese nationals and local Chinese citizens.

The Hohhot Center for Face-to-Face Exchanges was newly opened at Inner Mongolia University situated in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It held various events for experiencing Japanese culture and promoting Japan-China exchanges.

Network Strengthening Programs

We implement a variety of programs emphasizing collaborative work with the aim of building networks among young people who will be the future bearers of Japan-China exchanges. In FY2019 as well, we supported the University Student Exchange Program in which Chinese and Japanese university students collaborate in planning, organizing and holding events that introduce Japanese culture, as well as "RLEAD ASIA," a training camp-style exchange program in which Japanese and Chinese university students visit companies and engage in discussions using business and job searches as a pathway. We also operate the bilingual Japanese-Chinese "Heart to Heart" website.

A team of Japanese students studying in Beijing and students from Jilin University planned and operated the 3rd Japan-China University Student Forum. At the Changchun Center for Face-to-Face Exchanges, students were able to further deepen exchanges through debates, business model presentations and mini-discussions.