Tokyo, 23 April, /AJMEDIA/
Chinese participants in a Japanese government-backed exchange program sent to various cities around the country in early April have said they are eager to deepen cultural exchange after COVID-19 border controls were lifted.
A total of 22 have been sent in 2023, the first year a full dispatch of Chinese participants has been possible in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program since 2019. Those selected for 2020 were barred from traveling to the neighboring country that year, being sent instead in smaller groups in 2022.
Chinese JETs usually begin working in Japan from April, according to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.
Of the 22, 20 have been employed as international relations coordinators at municipalities in Japan, while the remaining two landed jobs as assistant language teachers.
Han Chao, 36, a former Japanese language teacher at a Chinese university who is now working in Niigata city as a coordinator, said at a reception held at the embassy before they all departed she wants to convey the “real nature” of both countries to each other and contribute to stronger bilateral ties during her time in Japan.
“I’d like to help more Japanese people to get familiar with the Chinese language and culture, while I’m also planning to demonstrate what I will directly experience in Japan, such as its great nature and traditional culture, on Chinese social media,” she said.
Even though Sino-Japanese relations have been strained over a territorial row and disputes over history, Han said she expects grassroots exchanges will not be affected by politics.
Japanese Ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi said in his speech to the reception that he hopes Chinese JETs will consider municipalities of their workplace as their “second hometown” and learn how local governments function in the country so that they can utilize their experience when they return to China.
“In essence, people-to-people ties make up state-to-state relations. I believe the good memories of every one of you in Japan will contribute to improving and strengthening the Japan-China relationship,” the envoy said.
Local governments newly accepting Chinese JETs in 2023 include Miyakonojo in Miyazaki Prefecture, Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture, Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture and Sennan in Osaka Prefecture.
So far, about 1,300 Chinese JETs have been dispatched to Japan since the program began accepting Chinese applicants in 1992. Overall, some 75,000 participants from 77 countries have worked in Japan under the program, which was launched in 1987, with many of them serving as assistant English language teachers.
