Addresses by His Majesty the Emperor (2008)

Remarks by His Majesty the Emperor at the State Banquet in Honor of His Excellency Mr.Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China (May 7, 2008)

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I wish to extend a heartfelt welcome to Your Excellency Mr. Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, and Mrs. Liu Yongqing, on the occasion of your State Visit to Japan. I am truly pleased to be able to spend this evening together with you. I first met Your Excellency the President at the Imperial Palace 10 years ago, when you visited Japan as the Vice President of your country in 1998 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty. Now I am delighted to welcome you once again, this time as the President of the People's Republic of China.

The Empress and I visited your country in 1992, the year that marked the 20th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and China. I still cherish the fond memory of the kind hospitality shown by President Yang Shangkun who had, along with the Government of the People's Republic of China, invited us, and of the warm welcome we received from many people in the places we visited.

During our trip, our stay at Xi'an was delightful, as I had wanted to visit the city, formerly Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, which Japan's official envoys to Tang visited together with Japanese students and scholarly priests from the seventh to the ninth century. They returned home with various documents and objects that were earnestly studied by the Japanese of that era. What Japan learned from Tang is still discernable in our heritage, such as the ancient urban planning of Kyoto and Nara, the latter of which will mark the 1300th anniversary of its foundation the year after next. The legal and governance system that Japan adopted in that era is another example of such influence. Cultural exchanges between Tang and Japan at that time can also be traced at the historical Shosoin Repository in Nara. There we can still appreciate many items brought to Japan from China, that were cherished by Emperor Shomu, who reigned during the first half of the eighth century. Furthermore, Toshodaiji temple, also in Nara, which Your Excellency is scheduled to visit, was established by the Tang priest Jian Zhen, and will commemorate the 1250th anniversary of its foundation next year. Jian Zhen experienced obstructions, shipwrecks and other mishaps in his efforts to come to Japan. But after five abortive attempts, he finally succeeded in his mission, supported not only by the strong desire on the Japanese side to have him in Japan, but also by his firm determination that never waned, despite the loss of his eyesight. In Nara, he taught Buddhist discipline to Ex-emperor Shomu, Empress Dowager Koumyou, Empress Koken and numerous officials. As Jian Zhen's voyages suggest, crossing the ocean at that time involved immense risks. Many people were lost to the perils of the sea. My heartfelt appreciation goes to those people who braved voyages undaunted by such dangers to further contacts with other cultures.

In recent years, the cooperation between our countries has borne delightful fruits. One such example is the successful breeding of Japanese crested ibis on Sado Island. Japanese crested ibises were distributed in wide areas from the northeastern part of Russia to China and eastward, before their extinction in each of these habitats. In 1981, when the last five birds on Sado Island were caught for the purpose of artificial breeding, people thought wild Japanese crested ibises had disappeared from the world. Thankfully, however, a number of birds were found in the same year in Yang Prefecture, in the Shaanxi Province of China. Unfortunately, the Japanese crested ibis all died after failed attempts to mate them. In spite of such setbacks, mutual exchange between our two countries continued for the purpose of reviving the species through cross-breeding efforts and other initiatives that also enriched our knowledge about the reproduction of Japanese crested ibis. Against this backdrop of collaborative endeavors, three Japanese crested ibises were donated to Japan by President Jiang Zeming, who visited Japan as a State Guest, and Premier Zhu Rongji, who visited Japan as an Official Guest. The offspring of the three birds have grown soundly, and now more than a hundred are under human care. I have heard that some of them are scheduled to be released into the wild this autumn. Reflecting on the efforts of the people who cooperated across our borders for many years, I look forward to seeing Japanese crested ibises soar across the skies of Japan on their white wings, which will soon become a symbol of the friendship that exists between our two countries.

I have learnt that, in commemoration of this year's 30th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty, numerous exchange programs will be carried out between our two countries in the context of the “Japan-China Youth Friendship Exchange Year”. I believe that it is particularly significant for the youth of the two nations to foster their friendship through these exchange activities, as it is becoming increasingly important for Japan and China to work together in various fields. I am hopeful that people of our two countries will share their reflection upon the long history and further strengthen their bond of friendship towards the future.

In August, we will see the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing. It is my heartfelt wish that the Olympic Games will be an opportunity for people around the world to deepen their friendship and goodwill.

Now Japan is in a beautiful season with the fresh green leaves of spring. I sincerely hope that this visit will be a fruitful one that will offer lasting memories.

I would now like to propose a toast to the good health of Your Excellency Mr. Hu Jintao and Mrs. Liu Yongqing, and to the happiness of the people of the People's Republic of China.