Key Facts
• July 27, 2025: Japan-China Friendship and Cultural Exchange Forum held in Beijing.
• Approximately 50 researchers from universities in both countries participated.
• Topics included social security, income inequality, aging population, and AI’s societal role.
• Co-hosted by Japan-China Friendship Center and China Human Rights Development Foundation.
• Second forum following the inaugural event in 2024.
• Inspired by Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Iwaya’s December 2024 visit to China.
• Opening remarks emphasized the importance of stable civil exchanges.
• Former Japanese Ambassador Yuji Miyamoto noted declining academic exchanges.
• Forum aims to expand the scope of bilateral academic and cultural collaboration.
Summary
The Japan-China Friendship and Cultural Exchange Forum convened in Beijing on July 27, 2025, bringing together around 50 researchers to discuss pressing societal issues such as social security, income inequality, aging populations, and the role of artificial intelligence. Co-hosted by the Japan-China Friendship Center and the China Human Rights Development Foundation, this was the second forum following its 2024 debut. The event was initiated after Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Iwaya and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed to expand expert exchanges during Iwaya’s visit to China in December 2024. Opening remarks highlighted the critical need for stable civil exchanges, with former Japanese Ambassador Yuji Miyamoto stressing the decline in academic collaboration. The forum seeks to broaden the scope of bilateral academic and cultural exchanges.
