On March 18th, Mr. Hu Sishe met with the delegates of 2017 Shouchiku Kabuki’s visit to China and hosted a welcoming banquet honoring Mr. Hagiuta Kouichi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Nakasone Hirofumi, senate member and President of LDP Congressmen’s League for the Revitalization of Kabuki, Mr. Ando Hiroyasu, President of Japan Foundation, and Mr. Otani Nobuyoshi, president of Shochiku Company Limited.
In his welcoming speech, Mr. Hu pointed out that this year sees the 45th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between China and Japan. Ten years have passed since Shochiku Kabuki’s last visit to China. It’s a meaningful cultural exchange activity to introduce Kabuki-the essence of Japanese culture to Chinese people. He also briefed the delegates about the ongoing performance tour by China National Peking Opera Company in Japan and a new round of performance tour of the dance drama Crested Ibises led by the CPAFFC in the near future. He hoped that the two sides can work together for building more platforms of exchanges so as to write a new chapter for bilateral cultural exchanges and friendship.
Mr. Hagiuta Kouichi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary mentioned in his speech that the year of 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and the next year marks the 40th anniversary of signing the Treaty of Peace and Friendship. We should take the two anniversaries as a good opportunity to promote bilateral exchanges in politics, economy, culture and people-to-people activities. Such exchanges should include traditional ones like Kabuki and Peking Opera as well as modern ones like movies and so on. Such kind of exchanges will pave the way for mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples.
Mr. Ando Hiroyasu, president of Japan Foundation, spoke on behalf of the host of this performance and extended gratitude to the CPAFFC, the China-Japan Friendship Association, and Shochiku Company Limited for their strong support. He wished the 5 performances in Beijing a complete success.
After the banquet, Mr. Hu Sishe watched the debut of this performance tour at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center together with the Japanese guests.
On the evening of March 17th, Japanese Embassy in China hosted the welcoming reception for Houchiku Kabuki delegation. Mr. Hu attended the reception and delivered a speech on behalf of the CPAFFC.
2017 Shouchiku Kabuki’s visit to China was hosted by Japan Foundation and supported by the CPAFFC and Japan-China Friendship Association. The relevant staff engaged in this visit total over 90. Three classical plays including Yoshitsune, Koibikyakuyamatoourai, and Fujimusume were on show totally for five times on March 18th, 19th, and 20th.
