Track II diplomacy between Japan and China that has a profound impact on the policymaking processes

When Japan-China relations were at their worst in 2005, The Genron NPO launched the "Tokyo-Beijing Forum" as a bilateral track II dialogue in order to discuss numerous important policy agendas, sensitive bilateral issues and future collaboration. This forum has met once a year even amid various difficulties in Japan-China relations for 14 years by inviting government leaders, local and national elected representatives, business leaders, jounralists and experts from Japan and China. Every year, over 3000 people attend the forum, which has served as a unique bilateral platform for substantive intra-regional discussion for the past 14 years, and the forum has been widely covered by media outlets.

In 2006, Shinzo Abe emphasized in an address the importance of Japan-China relations in this forum. Two months later, he made a surprise visit to Beijing as prime minister of Japan for the summit, and the bilateral relationship had significantly improved. In 2013, despite the increasing tension over territory, the 9th "Tokyo-Beijing Forum" adopted a "No-War Pledge," exemplifying the firm determination of Japan and China to solve issues under whatever conditions through dialogue.

Established influential civil dialogues based on opinion polls

Prior to the forum, The Genron NPO annually conducts opinion polls in Japan and China, which are no other comparative survey that regularly follows Chinese people's opinions and views continuously over last 13 years. These surveys reveal the impressions held by each country's citizens toward the other, people's views on bilateral relation and cooperation, pressing regional and global issues, and specific problems that both nations face. The surveys also reveal social structural issues, including how the perception of the respective country's citizens is created. This survey is single only biratelal survey between Japan and China, and the findings have been utilized by many researchers, thinktanks and research institutes in the world.

Exchange candid views on from bilateral relation to the future of the region and the global trade order

Japan and China have faced numerous huge issues, from peace in the Korean penninsula to the trade dispute. At this year's forum, we will engage in solving the issues between Japan and China, Asia and the world, in addition to establishing a relationship of trust between two countries. Through such efforts, we will strive to fulfill a role that can only be played by the private sector, while simultaneously working to establish public opinion by widely disseminating the discussions that develop at forum to the citizens of both countries as well as the world.

In 2018 Japan and China mark 40th anniversary of Treaty of Peace and Friendshipmarks. The 14th Tokyo-Beijing Forum will be held in Tokyo from October 13 to 15 under the theme of "Japan-China cooperation for promoting more open global economical order and the peace in Northeast Asia.

History of The Tokyo-Beijing Forum